Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) holds talks with Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2018. Shaikh Khalid will attend the opening ceremony of the eighth ministerial meeting of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum to be held on Tuesday in Beijing. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Bahraini foreign ministers on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly advance the construction of the Belt and Road.

The two sides should continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each others' core interests and promote pragmatic cooperation across the board under the Belt and Road framework, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

He called for turning the desire of cooperation into practical results to benefit the two peoples, while pledging to strengthen cooperation with Bahrain under the framework of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

Bahrain highly applauds and supports the Belt and Road Initiative and stands ready to strengthen all-round cooperation with China and boost bilateral ties, said Bahrain's Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.

The two foreign ministers also signed a deal on visa exemption for those holding diplomatic and service passports.

Shaikh Khalid will attend the opening ceremony of the eighth ministerial meeting of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum to be held on Tuesday in Beijing.