Arab News | Oman, China strengthen ties as Sultan Haitham makes historic visit

LONDON: Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman and Chinese President Xi Jinping have discussed ways to enhance cooperation and strengthen the strategic partnership between Oman and China across various sectors.

The Omani ruler’s visit on Sunday and Monday was the first state visit to China by an Omani sultan in 48 years, since diplomatic relations were established in 1978. During his visit, he also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the Oman News Agency reported.

Sultan Haitham and Xi issued a joint communique on Monday reaffirming cooperation in trade, energy, infrastructure, investment, finance, and advanced technology. They highlighted that exchanges in Chinese language education, civil aviation, and tourism had steadily increased, delivering tangible benefits to both countries, which signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2018.

They agreed to enhance cooperation in oil and natural gas and expand into new energy areas such as solar, wind, power transmission, and energy storage.

They agreed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, AI application technology, digital infrastructure, investment, AI risk governance, and space cooperation.

The Omani side expressed support for Chinese initiatives toward peace and stability in the Middle East and for China’s efforts to achieve regional security.

China affirmed its support for Oman’s efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and to promoting shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, the ONA added.

The two sides signed bilateral cooperation documents on the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, production and supply chains, green development, local currency swaps, digital payments, and digital currency.

“I am ready to work with you to guide the ‌China-Oman strategic ‌partnership to an even ‌higher level, better serve ‌the peoples of our two countries, and contribute to peace, stability and prosperity ‌in the region,” Xi told Sultan Haitham at the ‌start of their meeting in Beijing, according to a report from the media pool covering the meeting.