Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that China will set up a fund to help Pacific Island countries defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wang made the remarks at the first China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Beijing via video link.
Wang said the bilateral relationship between China and the Pacific Island countries has shown a good development momentum, and the comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to deepen.
Relations between the two sides are based on mutual respect and equity, Wang said.
He said China always respects the development paths chosen by the Pacific Island countries and sincerely hopes to help these countries develop their economy and improve local people's livelihoods.
Speaking of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang said China will continue to help Pacific Island countries fight against the virus by providing vaccines and various anti epidemic materials, establishing a China-Pacific Island Countries reserve of emergency supplies, and injecting additional capital into the fund which provides support to China and Pacific Island countries to defeat the virus.
Speaking of bilateral economic cooperation, Wang noted that China has signed cooperation documents for the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative with all 10 countries in the region that have built diplomatic relations with Beijing.
China will continue providing economic and technical assistance to island countries with no political conditions attached, Wang said.
A forum on fishery cooperation and development between China and Pacific Island countries will be held within the year, and a cooperation center on poverty reduction and development will be established to help the island countries accelerate their independent and sustainable development, he added.
The first China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting is held via video link in Beijing, China, October 21, 2021. /China's Foreign Ministry
Foreign ministers and representatives from Kiribati, Fiji, Tonga, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Samoa, as well as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, attended the meeting.
They thanked China for its long-term selfless assistance and support for the development of the region, and reiterated their firm upholding of the one-China principle and support for China in safeguarding its core interests.
All parties voiced support for the Global Development Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and hoped to increase governance experience sharing with China and deepen Belt and Road cooperation, elevating the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.
They spoke highly of China's commitment to making vaccines a global public good, and said they are willing to work with China to strengthen solidarity in fighting against the pandemic.
They also said they will work with China to uphold multilateralism and safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law.
(CGTN's Sun Tianyuan also contributed to the story.)
(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the first China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting via video link in Beijing, China, October 21, 2021. /China's Foreign Ministry)