CHINESE Foreign Minister Wang Yi has hailed the enduring friendship between China and Papua New Guinea (PNG), describing it as a valuable asset forged across mountains and seas, and tested by time.
Wang met with his Papua New Guinea counterpart Justin Tkatchenko in their bilaterial discussions at the margins of the 3rd China-Pacific Island Countries’ Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen City, Fujian Province, China on Thursday 29 May.
He said guided by generations of leadership from both nations, China and PNG have become trusted friends, reliable partners in development, and close brothers in international affairs.
Wang took the opportunity to congratulate PNG on the 50th anniversary of its independence in September, adding that next year will mark 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He called on the two sides to summarize the successful experiences in promoting bilateral relations and jointly chart the course for the next five decades.
To further deepen cooperation, the Chinese Foreign Minister called for the early launch of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement and urged full implementation of the consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders.
He said the Third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reached new consensus on building a community with a shared future between China and Pacific Island countries.
He highlighted PNG’s unique role as a major country in the South Pacific and a gateway to Asia, and expressed China’s readiness to work with PNG and other island nations to implement the meeting’s outcomes and contribute to regional peace and development.
Wang commended PNG’s consistent adherence to the one-China principle. Stressing Xiamen lies just across the water from Taiwan’s Kinmen Island, Wang said that “no one longs for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits more earnestly than we do.”
“The two sides of the Straits belong to one China – this is not only historical fact, but present reality,” he said.
Wang also emphasized that realizing national reunification is the long-cherished aspiration of the Chinese nation and an unstoppable historical trend.
He firmly denounced “Taiwan independence” separatist activities, calling them unconstitutional, contrary to the purposes of the UN Charter, and in defiance of the global consensus on the one-China principle.
“Taiwan independence” separatists’ actions will be opposed by the international community, he added.
In response, Minister Tkatchenko reaffirmed the critical importance of China-PNG relations, stating that the PNG government remains firmly committed to the one-China policy and supports China’s efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He expressed the desire to enhance Belt and Road cooperation and deepen bilateral practical collaboration in areas such as agriculture, education, telecommunications, energy, and local development, in support of PNG’s long-term sustainable growth.
By DELI-SHARON OSO
In Beijing, China
