BEIJING - China and Qatar on Tuesday vowed to deepen their oil and gas cooperation during a meeting between Premier Li Keqiang and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani, Emir of Qatar.

China hopes to build a long-term, comprehensive and strategic relationship of energy cooperation with Qatar and strengthen bilateral cooperation in oil and gas exploration and development, liquefied national gas production and integrated cooperation in the petrochemical industry, Li said.

    He called on Qatar to allow Chinese companies to join more upstream and downstream block exploration programs in Qatar.

Tamim hailed the development of Qatar-China relations and pledged that Qatar will deepen bilateral ties and strengthen reciprocal cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

He said Qatar will prioritize long-term energy cooperation with China.

Li said China is willing to participate in Qatar's high-speed railway construction through its advanced technology, and hopes Qatar will consider Chinese companies when seeking project bids.

He also vowed to expand investment and financial cooperation with Qatar, conduct currency swap and yuan clearing cooperation, and jointly promote building an international crude oil futures market.

Tamim welcomed more Chinese companies to invest in Qatar.

Li called on Qatar, which will take over the rotating chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), to play a positive role in promoting the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, as well as in negotiating the China-GCC Free Trade Area to help the two sides achieve a reciprocal and high-quality free trade agreement.

Tamim said Qatar is willing to play a positive role in promoting cooperation between GCC and China.

Tamim arrived in China on Sunday for a three-day state visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.