Yemen's Oil Minister, Hisham Sharaf, met on Saturday with Chinese ambassador in Sanaa Liu Denglin and discussed the possibility to attract more Chinese oil and gas companies into the country, the Yemeni official agency reported.

"Yemen is looking forward to more Chinese oil and gas companies to invest in its onshore and offshore blocks in the best interest of the two countries," Sharaf was quoted as saying.

The meeting also dealt with the Yemeni-Chinese relations, with Sharaf briefing Dinglin on facilities the Yemeni law offers for foreign investors and available opportunities in the promising energy sector in Yemen, it said.

The meeting brought up the activities of the Chinese companies operating in Yemen, including Sinopec Corp and Sinochem Corp. The two firms produce about 20.000 barrels a day.

The two countries also discussed the latest developments in Yemen and the impact of the continuous shutdown of the Marib pipeline on the national economy, according to the agency.

Sharaf said Yemen is looking forward to international support to overcome all challenges, mainly economic ones, Saba said.

The Marib pipeline was repeatedly attacked last year coinciding with the popular uprising against the regime and stopped pumping several times, the latest in October.

It carries about 110.000 barrels a day from the Marib and Shabwa oilfields to the Ras Isa terminal in Hodeida. The quantities carried via this pipeline are refined in the Aden Refinery and go for local consumption.