Lebanon keen on rosy prospect of Belt and Road initiative

As Lebanon and China mark the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, Lebanon has shown growing interest in sharing the rosy prospect of China's Road and Belt initiative and counts on it for fast economic growth.

"Lebanon firmly sticks to 'one China policy' and is willing to actively join in the Belt and Road initiative," Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Friday told a Chinese delegation headed by Li Xiaolin, chairwoman of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

As an event to boost bilateral cultural and economic excanges, a Chinese Gourmet Festival in Beirut and a Lebanese Gourmet Festival in Beijing have been held respectively.

The Chinese Festival Gourmet held Friday was attended by Former Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Adnan Kassar. To flavor the festival, China sent 4 top chefs to present the finest Chinese cuisine for the Lebanese customers

Moreover, a Chinese book fair was launched the same day in Beirut with the release of a book entitled "Hand in Hand: Half a Century of Chinese-Lebanese friendship."

The book was published on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Hailing the sound growth of bilateral ties, Director General of the Lebanese Ministry of Interior Hassan Falha described the Chinese-Lebanese ties as unique example of cooperation.

"The two countries share the humanitarian, cultural and civilization diversity of belief and religion," he noted, stressing that between Lebanon and China there is "a uniqueness of wealth and importance of the role they played in human civilization." Endit