Qatar

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2013, the friendly relations and cooperation in all fields between the People's Republic of China and the State of Qatar continued to grow steadily.

The two countries maintained contact at all levels. In March, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani respectively sent congratulatory messages to President Xi Jinping on his election. Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad sent a congratulatory message to Premier Li Keqiang. In April, Emir of Qatar Hamad, Crown Prince Tamim and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad respectively sent messages of sympathy to President Xi in the wake of the strong earthquake in Lushan, Sichuan Province. Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad also sent a message of sympathy to Premier Li. In June, President Xi and Premier Li sent congratulatory messages respectively to the new Emir of Qatar Tamim and the new Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. In November, Vice Minister of Culture Dong Wei visited Qatar. In March, Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue Wu Sike visited Qatar. In May, Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Dr. Hamad Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Kuwari attended relevant activities of the Second International Fair for Trade in Services in China.

Practical cooperation between the two countries in business, energy and civil aviation yielded new progress. Two-way trade reached a record high. Qatar remained one of China's main LNG suppliers. In March, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Civil Aviation Authority of Qatar signed an MOU. Qatar Airways opened direct flight from Doha to Chengdu, which brings the number of its flights between China and Qatar to 41 per week.

People-to-people exchanges continued to expand. Academics and think tanks of the two countries maintained regular exchanges. The "Happy Spring Festival" events and other Chinese song and dance performances were successfully held in Qatar.

Source: fmprc.gov.cn