Premier Li Qiang says China will strengthen ties with Vanuatu

China is willing to push the China-Vanuatu comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, said Chinese Premier Li Qiang when meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai in Beijing on Friday.

Over the past 42 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Vanuatu have always respected each other, worked in solidarity and coordination, strengthened their traditional friendship, deepened their political mutual trust and achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation, Li said.

Li said China is willing to work with Vanuatu to further consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations, continue to support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns, tighten the bond of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, push the China-Vanuatu comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level and bring more tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Li said that China is ready to work with Vanuatu to better leverage their economic complementarity, upgrade the level of cooperation on economy, trade, finance and fisheries, among other areas, implement key infrastructure projects to reap the benefits of mutually beneficial cooperation, and import more high-quality agricultural products from the Pacific island nation.

The premier called on the two sides to further facilitate cross-border travel, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of youth, education, healthcare, culture and tourism at the sub-national level.

The two sides should strengthen cooperation in multilateral fields, continuously enhance the representation of developing countries in the global governance system, promote international equity and justice, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and jointly address climate change and other global challenges, Li said.

He said China is willing to strengthen climate policy exchanges and cooperation with Pacific island countries, including Vanuatu, to safeguard the principles and institutional arrangements of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement.

Noting that Vanuatu attaches great importance to Vanuatu-China relations, Salwai thanked China for its long-term assistance, and congratulated China on its great achievements. 

Salwai said Vanuatu abides by the one-China principle, supports China on issues concerning Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Xizang and the South China Sea, supports the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the series of global initiatives put forward by China, and is willing to actively participate in the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and work for closer multilateral coordination.