Beijing: China and Iraq pledged to establish a long-term, stable energy partnership with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on oil and gas.
China is willing to increase energy cooperation with Iraq, with projects such as oilfield exploitation and refinery construction in the Middle Eastern country, said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi in Beijing, China's (Xinhua) news agency reported.
The two sides agreed that energy cooperation is an important part of Iraq-China pragmatic cooperation, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday.
They agreed that a long-term and comprehensive strategic partnership on energy cooperation, especially in the oil and gas sector, would be established, it said.
More investment will be channeled to the energy sector and governments and enterprises will be encouraged to cooperate in the areas of crude oil trade, oil-gas exploration and development, oilfield engineering service technology, construction of storage and transportation facilities, chemical refining engineering, and energy equipment, it said.
During their talks, the two prime ministers reached a consensus on using China-made equipment to support oil-gas exploitation in Iraq, said Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Ming after the cooperative agreement signing ceremony.
Li and Abadi also witnessed the signing of a MoU on the promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Abadi is paying an official visit to China from Tuesday to Wednesday at the invitation of Li Keqiang.
QNA
