Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Rick Houenipwela, minister for foreign affairs and external trade of the Solomon Islands, in Beijing on Tuesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Solomon Islands in 2019, bilateral relations have maintained strong development, adding that bilateral cooperation has achieved tangible results in various fields and brought benefits to the people of the Solomon Islands.
China is willing to make joint efforts with the new government of the Solomon Islands to deepen communication at all levels, maintain sound cooperation in various fields, and continue to take China-Solomon Islands comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era to new heights, Wang said.
Noting that China’s development of relations with Pacific island countries is aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation and promoting common development, Wang said that this should not be disrupted by any third party.
Wang also said that Pacific island nations have the right to independently choose their development partners.
Noting that the Solomon Islands attaches great importance to its relations with China, Houenipwela expressed gratitude to China for its long-term and positive assistance to the economic and social development of the Solomon Islands.
Houenipwela said the Solomon Islands is firmly committed to the one-China principle, supports the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the four major global initiatives, and is willing to make active efforts to deepen relations between Pacific island nations and China, while continuing to step up coordination and cooperation with China within multilateral organizations such as the UN and WTO.