UNITED NATIONS — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sept 24 that China is willing to strengthen counter-terrorism and de-radicalization exchanges and cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Wang said the two sides should firmly support each other in safeguarding core interests and major concerns when meeting with the GCC's "troika" of foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly high-level events week.

China supports the GCC countries in exploring their own development path, and opposes any country that uses religion, human rights, counter-terrorism and other issues as a cover to interfere in the GCC countries' internal affairs, he said.

Wang said China and the GCC countries have advanced their relations with bilateral trade increasing by 30 percent over the past year. The progress is commendable given the current global trade downturn, showing that the two sides have great potential in strengthening cooperation.

The two sides have made remarkable achievements in exchanges and cooperation in areas such as infrastructure construction, two-way investment, 5G communications, tourism and culture, among others, said Wang.

China is the most trusted friend and the most important partner of the GCC countries, and the two sides have a solid political foundation, said the GCC members.

They said the council attaches great importance to China's international status and influence, and strengthening its relations with China is a top priority for the council.

They added that the GCC supports China's position and measures on counter-terrorism and de-radicalization, is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in this regard, and will continue to support China's position on issues concerning Xinjiang.

The "troika" included Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, foreign minister of Oman, which holds the current rotating presidency of the GCC, Anwar Mohammed Gargash, minister of state for foreign affairs of the United Arab Emirates, which holds the incoming rotating presidency of the GCC, and the GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani. Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also attended the meeting.