New Qatar consulate in Guangzhou supports increased trade, investment

South China presents a large market for Qatar, especially in the energy sector, and trade between the two is poised to grow significantly, according to the new consul general for Qatar in Guangzhou.

The consulate, which covers the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Hainan, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, opened on Nov 24.

"The consulate was established to strengthen the mutual relationship between the two countries in all fields, especially in the economy and investments sectors," said Ali Ghanem Al-Hajri, who recently assumed his post. "The consulate will also bring all its efforts to creating mechanisms for cooperation with Chinese companies and enterprises."

In addition to energy, Qatar is interested in acquiring technology and experience from South China in several sectors, including infrastructure, transportation, manufacturing and smart homes, Al-Hajri said.

The Persian Gulf nation is a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to China. Bilateral trade between Guangdong and Qatar increased by 12.8 percent to $1.15 billion and accounted for 11 percent of the trade between China and Qatar, according to statistics from the provincial government.

Qatar is interested in China's "One Belt, One Road" strategy and the consulate will "exert all efforts for consolidating the cooperation related to the Silk Road initiative," Al-Hajri said.

"We are an important part of the maritime Silk Road initiative," he said.

The strategy refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013 and calls for trans-Eurasia routes to be set up to boost connectivity and trade.