Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called on China and Islamic countries to firmly support each other in taking development paths in line with their own national conditions and in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

Wang made the remarks at the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was held in the Pakistani capital Islamabad from Tuesday to Wednesday. 

It was the first time for a Chinese foreign minister to attend the OIC's session. This fully reflects the sincere desire of China and the Islamic world to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, which will certainly promote the relations between the two sides to a new level, stressed Wang, who attended on the invitation of the organization.

Noting Chinese civilization and Islamic civilization are both ancient civilizations with significant global influence, the Chinese foreign minister said bilateral friendly exchanges with a deep historical background and a solid public foundation have withstood changes in the international landscape.

Friendship is the mainstream of relations between the two sides, equality is the basis of mutual interaction and win-win is the goal of mutual cooperation, Wang pointed out.

He added China and the Islamic world have found a way for civilizations to live together in friendship and win-win cooperation, setting a good example of fostering a new type of international relations, and providing useful experience on how different countries and civilizations should interact.

Amid a turbulent and changing world, China is willing to work with Islamic countries to advocate genuine multilateralism, safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, maintain the international system with the UN at its core, and stand together on the road to national rejuvenation, Wang stressed.

He urged the two sides to firmly support each other in safeguarding their own sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

China and Islamic countries should be partners in development and revitalization, Wang said, adding the two sides should unite against the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen the docking of their development strategies.

The Chinese foreign minister also voiced support for Islamic countries to use Islamic wisdom to solve current hotspot issues, such as the Palestine, Afghanistan and Ukraine issues.

China will continue to stand firmly by the side of the Palestinian people and support the early convening of a more authoritative and representative international peace conference on the basis of the "two-state solution," so as to promote a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian issue, Wang said. 

On the Afghan issue, he said the Chinese side respects the choice made by the Afghan people and supports Afghanistan in achieving inclusive governance and sound management.

As for the Ukraine crisis, Wang reiterated that China supports Russia and Ukraine to continue talks that will produce results and lead to peace, adding it is important to prevent a humanitarian disaster and to avoid a spillover of the crisis that would affect and harm the legitimate rights and interests of other regions and countries. 

Islamic countries should keep the key to maintaining stability and promoting peace firmly in their own hands, Wang added.

He called for advocating the shared human values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom.

Wang also voiced firm opposition to drawing ideological lines, the concept of "cultural superiority" or the "clash of civilizations" theory, and attempts to distort and discredit non-Western civilizations.

He urged efforts to deepen cooperation on preventative counter-terrorism and de-extremism, saying the two sides should reject "double standards" in counter-terrorism and oppose linking terrorism to specific nationalities and religions.

History has proved and will continue to prove that China is a sincere friend and partner of the Islamic world, Wang noted, adding China is ready to work with Islamic countries to make unremitting efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.