HONG KONG: The Kuwaiti diplomatic mission in Hong Kong celebrates the country’s national days.— KUNA

KUWAIT: The Kuwaiti embassies and diplomatic missions in Canberra, Bern, Bandar Seri Begawan, and Dhaka held receptions marking the country's 58th National Day, 28th Liberation Day, and the 13th year of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's ascension to power. In the Australian capital, Ambassador Monther Al-Essa held a reception attended by Deputy Chief of Protocol and senior Australian officials in additions to Arab and foreign diplomats and representatives. Essa congratulated on the occasion His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the Kuwaiti people on the advent of the national occasions. Ambassador Essa praised the bilateral relation between Kuwait and Australian in all fields, noting that Kuwaiti investments in Australia reached 8.7 billion, mostly in energy and liquid natural gas (LNG) sectors. Trade surplus between the two countries reached $708 million in 2017 including wheat, meats, and other products.

In Switzerland, Kuwaiti Ambassador Bader Al-Taneeb extended his own wishes of prosperity and development to the leadership and people of his country held a similar function. Head of Kuwait Heritage Group at Beit Al-Othman Anwar Rifai and other officials attended the celebration. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti embassy in Brunei held a similar reception in celebration of Kuwait's national day. Ambassador Salah Mubarak Al-Mutairi took the chance to congratulate His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, the government and people of Kuwait on the national occasions.

The function in Brunei was attended by a score of senior officials from Brunei as well as Arab and foreign diplomats. In Bangladesh, Kuwait embassy celebrated the national days by holding a reception ceremony that was attended by high ranking officials, who greeted Ambassador Adel Hayat on the occasion, expressing thanks for the Kuwaiti support of the development projects in Bangladesh.

In Guangzhou, China, General Consul to the Chinese city Khalifa Al-Kharafi congratulated His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the government and people of Kuwait on the advent of the country's national occasions. In recent times, Kuwait and China took huge strides towards boosting relations especially after the visits conducted by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah as well as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to late China last year.

During his visit in 2018, His Highness the Amir attended the eighth Arab-China forum and also meet with President Xi Jinping, expanding the horizon of Kuwaiti-Chinese cooperation in all possible fields.F irst Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad also promoted during his visit late December the country's Vision 2035, indicated the Ambassador. He also touched on other past and current visits that contributed to the development of relations such as the first visit by a Kuwaiti official to China carried out by then Minister of Finance and late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1965, an event followed by the opening of Kuwait's embassy in 1972.Kuwait opened its General Consulate in Hong Kong in 1999 and Guangzhou in 2008.

Meanwhile, a senior member in the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Guangdong Province congratulated the Kuwaiti leadership and people on the advent of the national celebrations. The member lauded the strength of relations between China and Kuwait, revealing, in specific, that trade between Kuwait and the province of Guangzhou had reached around $1.5 billion in 2018, an increase of around 11.88 percent from the previous year. The member indicated that the province was eager to pursue more ventures of cooperation with Kuwait and contribute to Kuwait Vision 2035.In Hong Kong, Kuwait's General Consul to the city and Macau Salah Al-Saif hosted a similar celebration. Senior officials of the Hong Kong government and a score of diplomats attended the festivities. Consul Saif congratulated the Kuwaiti leadership and people on the advent of the national days, wishing his country evermore prosperity and welfare.

The Kuwaiti diplomat lauded his country's relations with Hong Kong, affirming that both sides were looking into opening various venues of cooperation. Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong Teresa Cheng commended Kuwait on the advent of the GCC country's national celebrations, affirming that her government was eager to expand cooperation with Kuwait on all possible fields. She encouraged Kuwaiti investors to seek opportunities in the grand Gulf region south of China, which includes Hong Kong, which has a GDP of $1.5 trillion.

To Europe and specifically Milan, Italy, the General Consul Abdulnasser Bukhadour held a reception at a local hotel, which gathered senior Italian figures and diplomats in the northern region of the country. He extended congratulations to the Kuwaiti leadership and people on the occasions of the national days, expressing joy to the strong turnout for Kuwait's national celebrations. In Moscow, the reception -- held by Kuwait Ambassador to Russia Abdulaziz Al-Adwani -- was attended by senior Russian officials including Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy to the Middle East and North Africa and Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Minister for North Caucasus Sergy Chepotarev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Ilyas Umakhanov. It was also attended by Ambassadors of Arab and foreign countries accredited to Russia, as well as representatives of business circles, orientalists, clerics and members of the Kuwaiti diplomatic mission. In a speech delivered by Ambassador Al-Adwani congratulating the Kuwaiti leadership and people on the national occasions. He praised the role of the Kuwaiti leadership in trying to resolve conflicts on both gulf and Arabic scenes. Adwani also praised the development of the Kuwaiti-Russian relations, which have become a factor in supporting regional stability in the Gulf region. In a similar statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy to the Middle East and North Africa and Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Bogdanov praised the "distinctive" relations between both countries in different fields. He noted that Russian Foreign Minister Syrgy Lavrove would soon pay a visit to Kuwait.

Minister for North Caucasus Sergy Chepotarev said in a statement that there is a broad prospect for the development of the Kuwait- Russia ties through high-level relations. He expressed hope that both countries will expand cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, tourism, energy, and mega projects especially in Northern Caucasus province that has a Muslim majority. In a similar celebration, Kuwait Ambassador to Ukraine Rashed Al-Adwani held a reception ceremony on the national occasions in the capital Kiev that was attended by top state officials including Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko.

In Abu Dhabi, Acting Charge D'affaires at the Kuwaiti embassy Abdullah Al-Salem held a reception at a local hotel attended by senior UAE officials in additions to Arab and foreign diplomats and representatives in the fellow GCC country. Salem congratulated on the occasion His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the Kuwaiti people on the advent of the national occasions. The Kuwaiti diplomat also touched on the deep-rooted relations linking Kuwait with the UAE, saying that the leaderships and people of both brotherly nations were eager to walk side-by-side into a mutual future of welfare, security and development.

In Ankara, a similar function was held by Kuwaiti Ambassador Ghassan Al-Zawawi who extended his own wishes of prosperity and development to the leadership and people of his country. The Ambassador commended the ever-developing relations between Kuwait and Turkey, affirming that both countries have succeeded in boosting ties and commercial exchange in recent years. The celebration in the Kuwaiti embassy in Ankara was attended by a score of Turkish officials as well as Arab and foreign diplomats.

Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti embassy in Bucharest held a similar reception in celebration of Kuwait's national day.Ambassador Talal Al-Hajri took the chance to congratulate His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, the government and people of Kuwait on the national occasions. The policies carried out by the Kuwaiti leadership earned the respect of the world, affirmed the Ambassador who commended relations with Romania. Romanian contribution to the 1991 liberation of Kuwait from the 1990 Iraqi aggression will always be remembered, said Ambassador Hajri.The function in Bucharest was attended by a score of Romanian officials as well as Arab and foreign diplomats. - KUNA