RIYADH, Sept. 11 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday called on China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies and speed up the free trade agreement negotiations process.

Li made the remarks when meeting with Secretary General of the GCC Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi here.

As the most dynamic sub-regional organization in the Middle East, the GCC has made positive contributions to advancing the process of regional integration and promoting peace, stability and development in the region, the premier said.

Li said that over the past 40 years and more, China's relations with GCC countries have enjoyed sustained, sound and steady development, and are at the forefront of China's relations with Arab countries.

In 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of the GCC countries held the first China-GCC Summit, jointly drawing a new blueprint for the development of practical cooperation between both sides, said Li.

Li said China is ready to further strengthen communication and coordination with GCC countries, actively implement the outcomes of the summit, consolidate the political foundation of bilateral ties, and work together to deepen and strengthen the relations and cooperation for greater mutual benefit and win-win results.

Noting that China and GCC countries are natural partners of cooperation with strong economic complementarities, Li said China stands ready to steadily advance cooperation in the five priority areas put forward at the China-GCC Summit.

Li called on both sides to further deepen cooperation in energy, investment, innovation, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges, expand cooperation in information and communications, digital economy, and green development, and jointly foster new momentum for the development of both sides.

Li said China is ready to strengthen policy coordination with the GCC through such mechanisms as the China-GCC Strategic Dialogue. China supports regional countries in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation to achieve lasting good-neighborliness and friendship.

Hailing the success of the first China-GCC Summit as a milestone for the development of bilateral relations, Albudaiwi said the GCC countries and China enjoy profound friendship and are reliable strategic partners to each other.

The GCC side is willing to join hands with China to actively implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both sides, strengthen dialogue in various fields at all levels, deepen cooperation in energy and innovation, and enhance people-to-people exchanges, said Albudaiwi.

Albudaiwi expressed his expectation for the two sides to reach an agreement on the China-GCC free trade agreement at an early date, so as to push their ties to a higher level.

The GCC highly appreciates China's impartial position on the Palestinian and other regional issues as well as its support for peace and stability in the Middle East, Albudaiwi added.