Kuwait’s top diplomat set to visit China amid Mideast tensions

Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah will pay an official visit to China over the weekend amid tensions in the Middle East, Beijing announced on Friday.

Al-Sabah will visit Beijing for two days, beginning Sunday at the invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The trip comes amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict in the Middle East, which has seen Tehran retaliating against American air strikes by hitting US bases in Kuwait and other Gulf nations.

China and Kuwait this year marked the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

Bilateral trade between China and Kuwait climbed to $18.58 billion last year as the world’s second largest economy remained the Gulf nation’s largest trading partner for 11 consecutive years.

Following his trip to China, Kuwait Foreign Minister Al-Sabah will fly to Seoul for an official trip, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will host his Kuwaiti counterpart for talks on Tuesday.