Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (R Front) shakes hands with Kuwaiti Deputy

     Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-SalemAl-

Sabah (L Front) after signing the Memorandum of Understanding in Beijing, capital of

China, June 4, 2010.  (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) -- China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held their first round of strategic dialogue in Beijing Friday, denouncing in a statement Israel's attack on a humanitarian aid ship to Gaza.

During the dialogue, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi exchanged views on the China-GCC relationship and issues of mutual concern with Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates Anwar Mohammed Qarqash, and the Council's Secretary General, Abdul-Rahman al-Attiyah.

Kuwait currently holds the rotating presidency of the GCC, and the United Arab Emirates will serve the next term.

Yang spoke highly of the progress made by the Council and the important role it played in maintaining regional peace and security, promoting economic growth and boosting communication between civilizations.

China's relationship with GCC member countries had developed rapidly in recent years, witnessing frequent high-level visits, strengthened political mutual trust and growing cultural exchanges, said Yang.

China had always viewed its relationship with the GCC from a strategic and long-term perspective, said Yang. China was willing to use the strategic dialogue to further collective cooperation, he said.

The GCC officials said the GCC attached great importance to China and was satisfied with the positive results gained from the cooperation. The organization hoped to push relations with China to a higher level.

At the end of the dialogue, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Dialogue between the People's Republic of China and the Member States of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

In a press communique issued after the dialogue, the two sides said they were satisfied with the outcomes of the first dialogue, and agreed to hold the next dialogue in the United Arab Emirates next year.

The dialogue mechanism was conducive to deepening mutual trust, expanding mutually beneficial cooperation and promoting bilateral consultation and coordination in international organization, said the communique.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met with the GCC delegation on Friday, and the two sides reached a broad consensus, said the communique.

Another statement issued Friday said ministers attending the dialogue discussed Israel's attack on a humanitarian aid ship heading to Gaza on Monday.

The ministers strongly blamed Israel for the attack and its use of violence in international waters, it said.

They expressed condolences to the families of the victims and supported to the Turkish government and its people, it said.

The ministers appealed for the lifting of a blockade against Palestinians living in Gaza according to relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, especially Resolution 1860.

Indirect talks between Israel and Palestine had been launched and the Middle East peace progress had entered a sensitive period, it said, noting that Israel's violent attack at this moment laid obstacles to the progress.

The ministers appealed for the continued transportation of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including food, medicines and construction materials.

They asked the United Nations to take responsibility according to the UN Charter and international laws, to launch an international investigation into this attack so as to realize justice, and take necessary measures to prevent further occurrences of such incidents.