On January 28, 2013, President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi of Yemen met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun at the Presidential Palace. The two sides exchanged views on further developing friendly and cooperative relations.

Zhai said that Yemen has made positive progress in political transition and economic reconstruction since the signing of the GCC initiative over a year ago. He expressed the hope that the parties concerned could continue to resolve their differences through negotiation and push forward the political transition process in a steady and orderly manner so as to achieve stability and development of the country. Zhai said that Yemen is one of the earliest Arab states to establish diplomatic relations with new China. The bilateral relations have withstood the test of international vicissitudes and the two countries have become mutually-trusted good friends. The Chinese side attaches great importance to developing the traditional friendship with Yemen and is willing to continue to make joint efforts with Yemen to deepen mutual political trust and strengthen friendly cooperation in various fields. China will continue to do all it could to help Yemen in the transition and reconstruction process.

President Hadi updated the situation in Yemen and thanked China for its selfless assistance to Yemen. He emphasized that Yemen also attaches great importance to developing relations with China and is willing to continue to drive the constant development of friendly relations and cooperation in various fields.

The same day, Zhai also met with Yemen's Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa, held talks with Yemen's Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, and witnessed the ceremony of exchanging bilateral cooperation documents.