Xi says relations with South Pacific nation a model of unity, collaboration
China and the Solomon Islands agreed on Monday to officially establish a comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development in the new era, vowing to deepen cooperation in all areas, including trade and investment, climate change response and people-to-people exchanges.
The decision was announced by President Xi Jinping and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in a joint statement released after their meeting in Beijing.
The seven-day official visit, which began on Sunday, is Sogavare s second visit to China since the Pacific Island country severed "diplomatic ties" with the Taiwan region and established diplomatic relations with China in 2019.
This time, one of the main tasks of Sogavare s visit — which will also take him to Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces — is to inaugurate the Solomon Islands embassy in Beijing.
During their meeting at the Great Hall of the People, Xi said cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands has caught up over the past four years and has become a model of unity and cooperation among countries of different sizes and among developing nations.
China highly appreciates the Solomon Islands firm pursuit of the one-China principle and will also support the Pacific Island nation in following its own path of development, he said.
The president expressed Beijing s willingness to share with the Solomon Islands the development opportunities brought by Chinese modernization, better align the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with the Solomon Islands National Development Strategy 2016-35, boost pragmatic cooperation in all fields, and import more high-quality products from the island country.
China will also encourage its enterprises to invest in the Solomon Islands and will continue to provide economic and technical assistance to the country with no political strings attached, Xi said. He added that China supports the Solomon Islands in hosting the Pacific Games this year.
Xi also stressed full respect for Pacific Island nations sovereignty and independence, as well as their willingness to cooperate and cultural traditions.
Noting that China always adheres to the principle that all countries are equal, regardless of size, Xi said China will hold to the principles of wide consultation, joint contribution, shared benefits and win-win results during cooperation with Pacific Island countries.
He also said China fully respects Pacific Island nations choice to strengthen themselves through cooperation and supports island countries in the Pacific to implement the regional 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. Such efforts will contribute to building a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and increased prosperity, Xi said.
Sogavare said that his country s decision to establish diplomatic ties with China was a correct one and that fruitful results have been achieved since then.
Now China has become the Solomon Islands largest partner in infrastructure and a reliable partner of development, Sogavare said, adding that his country opposes any act that targets or contains China s development.
According to the Foreign Ministry, trade between the two countries reached $500 million last year, a year-on-year increase of 3 percent.
Also on Monday, Premier Li Qiang, who hosted a welcoming ceremony for Sogavare, said that China will work with the Solomon Islands to uphold true multilateralism, strengthen coordination in the United Nations and other mechanisms, and jointly tackle climate change.
Li also said that Beijing will join hands with Honiara to keep the South Pacific as a nuclear-weapon-free zone and maintain regional stability and prosperity.
After their meeting, Li and Sogavare witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperative documents.
Chen Xiaochen, deputy director of the Institute of Area Studies at East China Normal University, said Sogavare s visit demonstrated that the Pacific Island countries welcome development cooperation instead of geopolitical competition.
"As a small island state once among the lowest-developed Pacific Island countries, development is the core objective of the Solomon Islands government," he said, adding that the country still faces challenges, including the need for a better security environment for business.
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记者：莫竞西
播报：Corrie Knight
音频编辑：万月英
【背景阅读】
习近平会见所罗门群岛总理索加瓦雷
新华社北京7月10日电 国家主席习近平10日下午在人民大会堂会见来华进行正式访问的所罗门群岛总理索加瓦雷。双方共同宣布，中国和所罗门群岛正式建立新时代相互尊重、共同发展的全面战略伙伴关系。
习近平指出，中国和所罗门群岛是彼此值得信赖的好朋友、可以依靠的好兄弟。建交以来，两国友好合作后来居上，走在了中国同太平洋岛国关系前列，成为不同大小国家和发展中国家团结合作、携手发展的典范。事实证明，中所建交顺应时代潮流，契合国际大势，符合两国人民根本利益，是正确选择。中方愿同所方加强战略沟通，深化各领域合作，推动两国全面战略伙伴关系行稳致远、好上加好，更好造福两国人民。
习近平强调，中方高度赞赏所方坚定奉行一个中国原则，支持所方维护主权、安全、发展利益，支持所方自主选择的发展道路。中方坚持把自己的事情办好，始终做世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者，愿同所方分享中国式现代化带来的发展机遇，加强共建“一带一路”同所罗门群岛“2035发展战略”对接，拓展各领域务实合作，扩大进口所方优势产品，帮助所方实现发展振兴和长治久安。中方支持更多中国企业赴所投资兴业，将继续向所方提供不附加政治条件的经济技术援助。双方要扩大医疗、教育等领域友好交流。中方支持所方举办第十七届太平洋运动会。
习近平指出，中国的太平洋岛国政策秉持“四个充分尊重”：一是充分尊重岛国主权和独立，坚持大小国家一律平等；二是充分尊重岛国意愿，坚持共商、共建、共享、共赢；三是充分尊重岛国民族文化传统，坚持和而不同、美美与共；四是充分尊重岛国联合自强，支持岛国落实《蓝色太平洋2050战略》，为建设一个和平、和谐、安全、包容、繁荣的蓝色太平洋作出贡献。中方理解太平洋岛国面临气候变化严峻挑战，愿同岛国加强气象服务、防灾减灾、清洁能源等领域交流合作，助力岛国落实联合国2030年可持续发展议程。中方愿同所方加强协调配合，坚持真正的多边主义，维护国际公平正义，共同反对冷战思维和霸权主义，维护亚太地区和平稳定。
索加瓦雷表示，同中国建交是所方作出的正确选择。建交以来，两国关系取得累累硕果。中国已经成为所罗门群岛最大基础设施合作伙伴和可信赖的发展伙伴。习近平主席提出全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议和全球文明倡议，展现了卓越远见和非凡领导力，所方对此表示高度赞赏和支持。中方减贫成就值得世界钦佩和借鉴。所方坚定奉行一个中国原则，愿同中方密切高层交往，加强贸易、投资、人文、地方等领域交流合作，共同应对气候变化等全球性挑战，推动所中全面战略伙伴关系不断向前发展。所方反对任何针对、遏制中国发展的行径。
会见后，双方发表《中华人民共和国和所罗门群岛关于建立新时代相互尊重、共同发展的全面战略伙伴关系的联合声明》。
王毅、王小洪参加会见。（记者郑明达）