BEIJING: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to the International Forum on Trilateral Cooperation, where he called for further deepening cooperation with its two neighboring countries.
The forum, hosted by the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS), serves as a trilateral cooperative framework among China, the Republic of Korea and Japan hoping to promote peace and common prosperity in the region.
The three countries share wide common interests. Over the past 20 years, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo have maintained practical cooperation and have preserved peace and development to East Asia, the Chinese diplomat said in the message.
Under challenging international circumstances, Wang urged the three countries to step up political mutual trust and expand cooperation in maintaining vitality.
He also stressed the need for strengthening people-to-people exchanges.
Monday, Wang Yi met with New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta via video link.
Wang said China has always viewed New Zealand as an important partner with strategic and cooperative significance, and stands ready to work with New Zealand to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.
The two sides should carry out the protocol on upgrading the China-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) and give full play to the ministerial dialogue on climate change to speed up a green recovery.
Underlining that China respects New Zealand’s traditional bonds with the Pacific island countries, Wang said China stands ready to work with New Zealand to carry out more three-party or multi-party cooperation to jointly build an open, inclusive, united and cooperative South Pacific region.
For her part, Mahuta said New Zealand and China should support the island countries to address the challenges they are facing with through bilateral and multilateral platforms.
New Zealand stands ready to work with China to make joint efforts on global development and security, Mahuta said.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
