State Councilor Wangyi and foreign minister accept an interview with the central media on his visit to the South Pacific island country
2022-06-06
On June 5, 2022, State Councilor and foreign minister Wangyi accepted an interview with the central media after concluding his visit to the South Pacific island countries. The full text is as follows: 1、 Q: this trip to the South Pacific has visited all the South Pacific island countries that have established diplomatic relations with China. What is the purpose of the Chinese side? Wangyi: Pacific island countries are important members of the big family of developing countries. Although China and the Pacific island countries face each other across the sea, the friendly relations between the two sides have a long history. In recent years, bilateral relations have made great strides forward, bringing tangible benefits to the people of the region and setting an example for South South cooperation. China has always adhered to the principle that all countries, big and small, are equal and advocated that "no one can be spared" in the global sustainable development goals. At present, the COVID-19 has been repeatedly delayed, the global economic recovery is weak, the international situation is volatile, and the Pacific island countries are facing more risks and challenges. This trip to the South Pacific is a journey of peace, cooperation and friendship between Greece and all the island countries that have established diplomatic relations, so as to jointly meet challenges, seek common development and create the future. During the talks with me, the foreign minister of Tonga quoted an ancient Chinese poem to describe the friendly exchanges with China: "there are bosom friends in the sea, and the horizon is like a neighbor". I returned her with an old Chinese saying: "a long way to know horsepower, a long time to see the hearts of the people", to show the tenacity and stability of the friendship between China and the island countries. 2、 Q: in recent years, relations between China and Pacific island countries have developed rapidly. What is China's basic policy towards Pacific island countries? Wangyi: China and the Pacific island countries are both developing countries and share broad consensus, similar concerns and common missions. The direction of China's policy towards island countries has been made clear, that is, to continuously advance the comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development. Mutual respect is the basic principle for China to develop relations with island countries, and common development is the fundamental goal for China to carry out cooperation with island countries. The connotation of China's policy towards island countries can be summarized as "four insistences". First, we should treat each other as equals. The Chinese side will continue to uphold the correct concept of justice and interests and the concept of truth, affinity and sincerity to develop friendly relations with island countries. Second, adhere to mutual respect. China has always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the island countries, respected the people of the island countries in exploring a development path that suits their own national conditions, and did not interfere in the internal affairs of the island countries. Third, adhere to win-win cooperation. China will deepen practical cooperation with the island countries in various fields, sincerely help them develop their economies and improve their people's livelihood, and share China's development Dividends with the island people. Fourth, adhere to openness and inclusiveness. China's cooperation with island countries is not directed against any country and will not be interfered by any country. China is always willing to open up and carry out trilateral or multilateral cooperation with willing developed countries in island countries to achieve multi win and win-win results. 3、 Q: how do you think the island countries view China now? How to view China's relations with island countries? Wangyi: this trip to the South Pacific has achieved "full coverage" of Pacific island countries that have established diplomatic relations. I had extensive and in-depth exchanges with 17 leaders and more than 30 ministerial level officials from 10 island countries that have established diplomatic relations. I personally felt the Pacific island countries' pursuit of development, their desire for cooperation and their expectation for China. Over the years, due to their weak national strength and small voice, Pacific island countries have often been easily forgotten by the international community and even marginalized. The island countries proposed that they should not become "spectators of the world", let alone be left behind, but should go hand in hand with the world. China is also a developing country. We can best understand the situation, needs and concerns of small and medium-sized countries. Png foreign minister and others appreciated China's unremitting efforts for the development and prosperity of the island region over the past half century, and hoped that other major countries could learn from China. President Vanuatu and many other leaders of the island countries believe that China is a true friend and good partner of the island countries. President Kiribati stressed the right of the island countries to choose their own partners and hoped that China would play a greater role in helping the island countries' development. All island countries hope to catch the fast train of China's development and help their own sustainable development. Both hope to expand exchanges with China, inherit friendship and consolidate the public opinion foundation of friendship. The island countries also appreciate that China upholds justice in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the island countries on the international stage and speaks out in global affairs such as climate change. China is willing to continue to enhance mutual trust and cooperation with Pacific island countries. China will always be a reliable strategic partner for island countries in the process of their revitalization and prosperity. 4、 Q: this trip to the South Pacific has achieved a large number of cooperation results, which have attracted wide attention from all parties. Could you brief us on the focus of cooperation with island countries in the next step? Wangyi: the outside world pays great attention to this trip to the South Pacific and the response is positive. At the same time, there are some comments and suspicions, and even some people spread false information. I would like to reiterate once again that China's cooperation with the Pacific island countries is open, transparent, open and aboveboard, does not attach any political conditions, does not impose things on others, does not target any third party, and does not seek the so-called "sphere of influence", which can stand the test of time and history. China's cooperation with island countries has always been premised on the needs of island countries, always focusing on economic development and improving people's livelihood. During the visit, we reached new broad consensus on deepening practical cooperation between the two sides. The first is to cooperate in tackling climate change, which is the most urgent challenge facing island countries. Under the framework of South South cooperation, China will continue to support island countries to enhance their capacity to cope with climate change, including training talents for island countries and providing material assistance to deal with climate change. Give play to China's advantages in the field of new and renewable energy, and help island countries promote green and low-carbon transformation. The second is to help island countries promote diversified development, which is the only way for island countries to move towards modernization. The island countries expect to develop processing industry, increase the added value of products and speed up the process of industrialization. China fully understands and fully supports it. We are willing to share development and growth experience with island countries, help them transform their resource advantages into development advantages as soon as possible, and effectively improve their independent development capacity. Third, we should work together to do a good job in the ocean, which is the key to the sustainable development of island countries. The island has a vast exclusive economic zone, rich marine and fishery resources, and great potential for developing the blue economy. China is willing to, on the premise of protecting the marine ecology, help island countries to rationally develop and utilize the oceans and inject inexhaustible impetus into their own development in accordance with their wishes. Fourth, expand emerging industries such as the digital economy, which is the future growth point of the island economy. The island countries' information and communication infrastructure is generally backward. China is willing to provide support for the island countries' development of information technology and digital economy, help them speed up their own technological progress and industrialization process, create more jobs and improve their economic competitiveness. On this planet, a rich country cannot always be a rich country, and a poor country can always be a poor country. The 21st century should be an era for developing countries to accelerate their development. China has fulfilled the poverty reduction goal of the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development 10 years ahead of schedule. We are willing to help and support Pacific island countries to jointly realize the historical mission of accelerating development and revitalization. 5、 Q: the international community has paid close attention to the second China Pacific island foreign ministers' meeting. How do you rate this? Wangyi: on May 30, I co chaired the second China Pacific island foreign ministers' meeting in Suva with Prime Minister and foreign minister mbeni Malama of Fiji. This is the first time that the China Pacific island foreign ministers' meeting has been held in an island country since the establishment of the mechanism last year. The participants spoke positively of China's mutually beneficial cooperation with island countries and fully affirmed China's efforts to maintain peace, stability, development and prosperity in the South Pacific region. The meeting discussed the vision and vision of future cooperation and reached new consensus. The parties agreed to continue this positive process in order to build more and broader consensus. After the meeting, China issued a position paper, which focused on the vision of mutual respect and common development between China and the island countries that have established diplomatic relations. It put forward 15 principle initiatives and 24 specific measures, showing China's positive attitude and pragmatic spirit, and was highly valued by the island countries. China's cooperation with island countries has always been based on bilateral channels. At the same time, according to the wishes of island countries that have established diplomatic relations, China has held a foreign ministers' meeting to carry out collective dialogue, increase communication and coordination, and form greater synergy. There are also other regional organizations such as the Pacific Islands Forum in the region. China attaches importance to exchanges with them and is also an important development partner of these organizations. The foreign ministers' meeting mechanism and these organizations complement and go hand in hand. The cooperation between China and the island countries will present a dynamic situation of "two wheel drive" as the main bilateral channel and a new multilateral platform. 6、 Q: what do you think of the competitive and cooperative relations between China, Australia and New Zealand in the Pacific island region? Wangyi: for Pacific island countries, China is not a "newcomer", but an "old friend" who has known and known each other for many years. It has been nearly half a century since China established diplomatic relations with the island countries. They have become friends and partners who help each other, know each other and are close to each other. The all-round development of China's relations with island countries is not "born in the sky", but "comes naturally". We have no intention of competing with anyone for influence, nor are we interested in engaging in geographical competition. China respects the various ties already established between the island countries and other countries, and respects the traditional ties between Australia and New Zealand and the island countries. China has carried out some trilateral cooperation with Australia and New Zealand in the island countries. The results are good, and they are also supported and welcomed by the island countries. China is willing to continue to carry out more trilateral or quadripartite cooperation with Australia and Singapore in the South Pacific region with an open attitude and in accordance with the wishes of island countries, so as to give play to their respective advantages and form greater joint forces. 7、 What progress has China made in jointly building the "the Belt and Road" with Pacific island countries during this visit? Wangyi: Pacific island countries are located in the southward extension of the "the Belt and Road" initiative and are important partners in jointly building the "the Belt and Road". During this visit, we felt that all island countries have high enthusiasm and strong desire to jointly build the "the Belt and Road". We all look forward to strengthening the connection between their development strategies and the "the Belt and Road" and accelerating their own development and revitalization through high-quality joint construction of the "the Belt and Road". China has signed memorandums of understanding with 10 island countries that have established diplomatic relations to jointly build the "the Belt and Road", and has further signed cooperation plans with Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu to jointly build the "the Belt and Road". During this visit, China signed with Kiribati the implementation plan for jointly building the "the Belt and Road", and also signed and reached 52 bilateral cooperation achievements with island countries with diplomatic relations, covering 15 cooperation fields, including climate change, combating epidemics, disaster prevention and mitigation, green development, health care, agriculture, trade, civil aviation, tourism and local governments. A large number of mutually beneficial cooperation projects, such as the Solomon Islands national referral hospital and the comprehensive medical center, have been inaugurated or are about to be launched. China will continue to strengthen policy communication with island countries and
Edit：He Chuanning Responsible editor：Su Suiyue
Source：Xinhua
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