Sheikha Dr. Al-Anoud Ibrahim Al-Duaij and the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires stand between members of the Kuwait-China Friendship Club.

 KUWAIT CITY, Sept 6: Sheikha Dr. Al-Anoud Ibrahim Al-Duaij has launched the ‘Kuwait-China Friendship Club’ with the support of the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait. The club members include young Kuwaiti men and women from various fields, united by their passion for China, its language and its culture. In a press statement on the sidelines of the launching ceremony held at the residence of the Chinese Ambassador, with Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy Liu Xiang in attendance, Honorary President of the Club Sheikha Al-Anoud Al-Sabah disclosed, “I am honored to be committed to the realization of Kuwait Vision 2035 and to raise the position of Kuwait in all fields. This club is one of the tools through which we -- citizens interested in Chinese affairs -- in cooperation with the Embassy and the Chinese Cultural Center in Kuwait, can build bridges of communication between the peoples of the two countries. Through the club, we will expound on our interest in Chinese culture, while we introduce our culture to the Chinese residing in Kuwait, without the need for a translator. The club consists of young men and women working in the medical, cultural and civil society fields, as well as those who studied in China and others who visited the country for business or tourism. We will welcome new members in the future.”

On the idea of launching the club, she revealed, “it was my idea and that of young people who speak Chinese. This is the right place to continue dialogue and cultural exchange. We are here to help those who want to learn Chinese or study at Chinese universities, with which we have excellent relations.” She said former Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianwei declared her the ‘Ambassador of Chinese Culture in the State of Kuwait’, indicating “I really like that title.” The opening of the club coincided with the launch of her new book, “A History of Relations between the People’s Republic of China and Kuwait (1960-1991),” which will be available to the public in the book fair at Kuwait International Fairgrounds in November. She hopes the book will be translated into Chinese by friends at Peking University. Regarding the book’s content, she said it is “a summary of my doctoral dissertation, which addresses relations between Kuwait and China, starting from Kuwait’s independence in 1961 until 1990 -- the period before and after the invasion.”

She added the book has three axes -- political, economic and social. Meanwhile, Chargé d’Affaires at the Chinese Embassy Liu Xiang said, “The establishment of the club under the patronage of Sheikha Al-Anoud Ibrahim Al-Duaij, whom I have known since 2018, will strengthen the friendly relations between our countries. Sheikha Al-Anoud has been actively participating in our embassy’s cultural, scientific and economic activities. She is very interested in Chinese culture and is fluent in the Chinese language, calligraphy and traditional painting. We can say that she has become a Chinese painter in every sense of the word.” He continued, “I have never seen anyone like Sheikha Al-Anoud in terms of loving Chinese culture. She initiated the idea of establishing this club to strengthen the long-standing friendship between our countries.” He pointed out that the launch of the club coincided with China’s hosting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, as well as the large military parade commemorating the war. He concluded, “The club is a bridge that will enable our friends in the club to introduce the Kuwaiti people to China at a deeper level. The members of the club are Kuwaiti ambassadors to China.”

By Fares Ghaleb
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff