RIYADH, Dec. 9 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met Omani Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said here on Friday.

Xi said the China-Oman friendship has a long history, as the two countries were linked by the Maritime Silk Road back at the time.

Under new circumstances, China is ready to work with Oman to consolidate mutual trust, deepen friendly cooperation, and push for new progress in the China-Oman strategic partnership, Xi said, expressing his hope that Oman will continue to participate in the China-Arab collective cooperation.

The Chinese president congratulated Oman on its upcoming rotating presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), saying China is ready to work with Oman to push for new progress in China-Oman and China-GCC relations.

For his part, Fahd said that Oman and China enjoy a long history of friendship.

The Chinese people are friendly and kind, and China is a peace-loving country that has been safeguarding peace, he added.

Oman looks forward to further strengthening its relations with China, Fahd said, adding that the first GCC-China Summit and the Arab States-China Summit, both held on Friday, are of great historical significance.

Oman is ready to work with China to promote greater development of GCC-China and Arab states-China relations, Fahd said.