China, Papau New Guinea to strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership says Wang Yi

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau

WASHINGTON DC, 22^nd April. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who is visiting the Island nation said on Sunday that China is ready to work with Papua New Guinea to build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality.

Wang a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee made the remarks news media reported.

He waid that China always views and values PNG’s role from a strategic perspective.

Wang noted that PNG is the largest and most populous Pacific island country with the most abundant natural resources in the Pacific island region.

He stressed that PNG is located in the connecting belt between Oceania and Southeast Asia.

PNG has a unique position and huge development advantages, and is fully capable of becoming a more prosperous country with more self-determination and more influence in the region and in the world.

China has always developed its ties with PNG from a long-term perspective, Wang said.

He added that the current bilateral relations are the result of the joint guidance of generations of leaders and the joint efforts of friendly people in the two countries. Both countries should inherit it, take good care of it and carry it forward.

China is ready to work with PNG to further implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality, Wang said.

China will treat PNG as an equal, and firmly support the country in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national unity, accelerating national revitalization and improving people’s livelihood, and playing a bigger role in regional and multilateral affairs, Wang said.

PNG is an important partner in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, Wang said.

He noted that the Pacific country has participated in two Belt and Road forums for international cooperation consecutively and made positive contributions.

They have drawn up Belt and Road cooperation plans and established a working mechanism, he said.

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 PNG and launch free trade agreement negotiations as soon as possible, Wang said.

Wang said that China is ready to strengthen its cooperation with PNG in such areas as trade and investment, infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and fishery, clean energy and climate change solutions.

China is to create new highlights in its cooperation with PNG in such areas as information and communication technology, disaster prevention and reduction, and police affairs, pushing bilateral relations to higher levels, Wang said.

Wang stressed that as 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.

He emphasized that 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.

Wand stated more should be done for the island countries and more benefits should be brought to their people.

Tkachenko said China is a close friend of his country.

They 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 people in both countries, Tkachenko said.

Tkachenko said the PNG government has long been firm in upholding and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy.

He added that the government understands and supports China’s efforts to achieve national reunification.

PNG is committed to promoting the development of bilateral relations to achieve greater results, Tkachenko said.

Tkachenko said that PNG looks forward to strengthening cooperation 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.

He sincerely thanked China for its selfless assistance to PNG in coping with the recent floods.

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 added.

Both sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.

They jointly attended the signing ceremony of various cooperation documents.