On March 22 local time, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, at the invitation of the Iraqi government, paid a visit to Iraq, and met respectively in Baghdad with President Mohammed Fuad Masum, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, National Assembly Speaker Salem Al-Jubouri and Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari of Iraq.
Yang Jiechi respectively conveyed sincere greetings from President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman Zhang Dejiang to the Iraqi leaders. When meeting with Mohammed Fuad Masum, Yang Jiechi said that China and Iraq enjoy a long-lasting friendship and bilateral relations have constantly witnessed new achievements in recent years. China attaches great importance to developing friendly cooperative relations with Iraq, and will, together with the country, strengthen high-level exchanges, political mutual trust, as well as practical and international cooperation, so as to push bilateral relations to new levels.
When meeting with Haider al-Abadi, Yang Jiechi said that we are glad to see that the new Iraqi government has achieved a series of positive results in domestic and foreign affairs since its founding last September. China will actively participate in the economic re-construction of Iraq, further expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas and support Iraq to improve its self-development capacity. China firmly backs the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq as well as the efforts made by the Iraqi government in safeguarding national security and stability and realizing national reconciliation. China will continuously offer humanitarian assistance to Iraq.
When meeting with Al-Jubouri, Yang Jiechi expressed that China and Iraq should enhance friendly communication between bilateral legislative bodies, advance people-to-people and cultural exchanges and carry forward the friendship between the two countries.
The Iraqi leaders noted that Iraq admires China's development achievements, appreciates China for upholding justice in international affairs, and thanks China for supporting Iraq in maintaining national security and stability. Iraq highly values developing relations with China, and will enhance cooperation with China in energy, telecommunications, agriculture, scientific research and other fields and facilitate friendly exchanges between the two peoples. The Iraqi side also expressed its gratitude for China's humanitarian assistance.