Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China continues to support a comprehensive, fair and permanent solution to the Cyprus dispute as peace talks, hosted by the United Nations, ended without a breakthrough.

Wang made the remarks during a phone conversation on Friday with his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides who briefed on the informal meeting that took place in Geneva earlier in the week.

Delegates from the Greek and Turkish Cypriot governments were unable to agree on plans for a future constitutional framework for the island, which was divided after a Turkish invasion in 1974 following a Greece-backed coup. The UN is proposing another round of talks soon.

Read more: UN-backed Cyprus peace talks end in stalemate

The Cypriot official appreciated China's stance and expressed hope that China can continue to uphold justice over the issue.

Wang said that holding the talks according to schedule sends a positive signal and noted that China will continue to push for a resolution that fully respects the people of Cyprus.

Wang also said that China and Cyprus are good friends and partners who respect each other and cooperate for win-win results. The two countries have mutually supported each other in terms of issues related to their core interests, and together safeguard the healthy and stable China-EU relations.

Christodoulides said that Cyprus firmly follows the one-China policy, and plays a constructive role in supporting the EU to actively facilitate cooperation with China.

(Cover: A man wearing a mask sits at a food market in Nicosia, Cyprus, December 9, 2020. /Xinhua)