Deputy Premier receives Chinese business delegation

Manama, Apr. 27 (BNA): Deputy Premier HH Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa has affirmed that over the past decades, China has strived to be among the emerging and influential economic powers, and has become a unique model that developing countries should emulate and draw lessons from it. The deputy premier was speaking as he received at the Gudaibiya Palace today a delegation from the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) First Vice-Chairman Quan Zhezhu, currently on a visit to the kingdom organised by the Economic Development Board (EDB). The delegation comprises representatives of ten Chinese companies. Shaikh Khalid praised the advanced level of the Bahraini-Chinese relations, strengthened thanks to the two friendly countries' keenness on boosting them through high-profile visits of senior officials. He recalled his visit to China in mid-2014 on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to take part in the Fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA 2014) in which Bahrain supported the initiative launched by the Chinese President on the Silk Road Economic Belt. The deputy premier affirmed that the kingdom always welcomes businessmen, investors and mega companies to operate their business from Bahrain, given the facilities it provides, its economic openness and regulatory systems that are supported by a solid legislative and legal base that ensures the rights of parties. In addition, the Kingdom has always been known as a centre that attracts capitals, he added. He pointed out that the volume of Chinese investments in Bahrain will progress further with the opening of the Dragon City, being one of the outstanding Chinese projects that Bahrain was keen to attract, adding that Huawei, which is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT)solutions provider, has taken Bahrain as a centre of its regional operations and contributed to revitalising the national economy and supports the Bahrainisation system. ACFIC First Vice-Chairman expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to Bahrain for the warm welcome allocated to the his delegation. He said that his delegation is on a regional tour to explore investment opportunism. The deputy premier reviewed with ACFIC First Vice-Chairman areas of cooperation selected by Chinese investors, including construction, infrastructure and telecommunications. The Chinese Ambassador to Bahrain Qi Zhenhong attended.