President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele of the Solomon Islands in Beijing on Friday, marking a significant step forward in the bilateral relations between China and the Pacific nation.
During the meeting, President Xi emphasized China’s commitment to strengthening strategic communication with the Solomon Islands. He expressed China’s willingness to support the Solomon Islands in safeguarding its core interests and addressing major concerns. President Xi highlighted the potential for aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with the Solomon Islands’ development strategy, aiming to deepen cooperation in areas such as rural development, medical services, infrastructure, sustainable development, and climate change.
“China consistently adheres to an independent foreign policy of peace and advocates for the equality of all countries, regardless of their size, strength, or wealth,” President Xi stated. He underscored that China’s friendly cooperation with the Solomon Islands and other Pacific nations is a sincere effort to assist these countries in achieving development within the framework of South-South cooperation.
China is prepared to continue providing the Solomon Islands with assistance to support its development goals. President Xi also expressed a desire to strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum, with the aim of safeguarding the common interests of developing countries.
Prime Minister Manele praised China’s efforts in pursuing multilateralism, noting that initiatives proposed by President Xi—such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative—are conducive to promoting world peace, stability, and common development. “These initiatives are especially significant for small countries like the Solomon Islands,” Manele remarked.
Since participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, the Solomon Islands has made significant progress in infrastructure construction and other development areas. Prime Minister Manele reaffirmed his country’s firm adherence to the one-China principle and resolute opposition to any form of “Taiwan independence.” He expressed strong support for all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification.
Looking ahead, the Solomon Islands hopes to further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with China. “We aspire to build a community with a shared future between our two countries,” Prime Minister Manele said.
The meeting between the two leaders signifies a strengthening of ties and mutual commitment to collaborative development, setting the stage for enhanced cooperation in the years to come.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
