Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that China is willing to make joint efforts with El Salvador to upgrade bilateral ties and help the country achieve better national development.

Wang, also member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during talks with Salvadoran Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

China will continue to support the Salvadoran side in independently exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, he said.

He also said that Beijing is ready to work with El Salvador to speed up negotiations on a free trade agreement so as to allow more Salvadoran products to enter the Chinese market.

For her part, Hill said El Salvador firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is committed to expanding cooperation with China and deepening bilateral friendship.

She added that her country looks forward to reaching a free trade agreement with China at an early date to upgrade bilateral economic and trade cooperation.