China has opened a consulate-general in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern regional government, to strengthen ties with the Kurdish administration there.
The launch of the mission took place Tuesday attended by the regional government’s Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Zhang Ming, China’s deputy foreign minister.
In remarks to reporters, Barzani said China’s move was start of cultural, economic and political relations between the two sides.
During his speech, Barzani asked for more support from China to help the Kurdish government cope with an estimated two million refugees in Iraq.
The prime minister also called on China to support them like other foreign countries in their fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Ming said the opening of the consulate would “empower” relations between China and the Kurdish administration.
