China is ready to work with Papua New Guinea (PNG) to build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.
Wang, also member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the statement when meeting with PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko in PNG capital Port Moresby.
China always views and values the PNG's role from a strategic perspective, Wang said, noting that the PNG is the largest and most populous Pacific island country, with the most abundant natural resources in the Pacific island region.
Located in the connecting belt between Oceania and Southeast Asia, the PNG has a unique position and huge development advantages, and is fully capable of becoming a more prosperous country with more self-determination and greater influence in the region and in the world at large, Wang said.
The PNG is an important partner in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Wang said, noting that the Pacific country has participated in two Belt and Road forums for international cooperation consecutively and made positive contributions.
The two countries have drawn up Belt and Road cooperation plans and established a working mechanism. Both sides need to implement them one by one and advance them in a timely manner, so as to ensure that the results of the cooperation will be tangible as soon as possible and bring benefits to the PNG people, Wang said.
China is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with the PNG and launch free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the two countries as soon as possible, said the Chinese foreign minister.
China is ready to strengthen cooperation with the PNG in such fields as trade and investment, infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and fishery, clean energy and climate change solutions, Wang said.
China is also ready to create new highlights in cooperation with the PNG in such fields as information and communication technology, disaster prevention and reduction, and police affairs, to promote bilateral relations to higher levels, Wang said.
As China is also a developing country, China's exchanges and cooperation with South Pacific island countries are aimed at supporting and helping each other and achieving common development, without any selfish geopolitical interests, said the Chinese foreign minister.
The South Pacific region should not become an arena of big power rivalry, and no country should treat the island countries as its "backyard," or engage in zero-sum competition and exclusive arrangements, Wang said.
Instead, more should be done for the island countries and more benefits should be brought to their people, Wang said.
For his part, Tkachenko said China is a close friend of his country.
The leaders of the two countries have maintained close communication and established a high degree of mutual trust. Bilateral cooperation in various fields is progressing smoothly and bringing tangible benefits to the people in both countries, Tkachenko said.
The PNG government has long been firm in upholding and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle, Tkachenko said, adding that the government understands and supports China's efforts to achieve national reunification.
The PNG is committed to promoting the development of bilateral relations to achieve greater results, said the Pacific island country's foreign minister.
The PNG looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in the fields of economy and trade, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, education, police affairs, and disaster prevention and mitigation, and further facilitating people-to-people exchanges, Tkachenko said.
He also sincerely thanked China for its selfless assistance to the PNG in coping with the recent floods.
The PNG believes that China's cooperation with South Pacific island countries has promoted regional development, thinks highly of China's important role and fair stance in international and regional affairs, and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China, Tkachenko said.
The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.
After the talks, the two foreign ministers jointly attended the signing ceremony of various cooperation documents.
Wang arrived in Port Moresby late Saturday on the second stop of his current three-country tour through the Asia Pacific.
China to work with PNG to strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership: foreign minister
China to work with PNG to strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership: foreign minister
