BEIJING, China, CMC – Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne held talks with President Xi Jinping Wednesday, re-affirming his country’s adherence to the One China policy.
The official Xinhua News Agency reporting on the meeting quoted President Xi as saying that since establishing diplomatic relations 41 years ago, the two countries have always respected and supported each other, setting an example of equality and win-win cooperation between countries of different sizes.
Xi said that the bilateral relations have maintained healthy and stable development, pragmatic cooperation has yielded fruitful results, and people’s friendship has deepened.
President Xi said China is willing to enhance exchanges at all levels and exchange experience on governance with Antigua and Barbuda, strengthen synergies of development strategies, deepen practical cooperation, and push China-Antigua and Barbuda relations to achieve more results and better benefit the two peoples.
He emphasized that the two sides should continue their traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, and continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns.
“China highly appreciates Antigua and Barbuda’s firm adherence to the one-China principle and will, as always, support Antigua and Barbuda in safeguarding national sovereignty and independence as well as independently choosing a development path in line with its national conditions,” Xi said.
He noted that Antigua and Barbuda were the first Eastern Caribbean countries to sign a Belt and Road agreement with China, and the cooperation between the two sides has brought tangible benefits to both countries.
He said China is now advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development, which will bring new opportunities for developing Antigua and Barbuda and bilateral cooperation.
Xi said China is willing to expand cooperation with Antigua and Barbuda in trade, infrastructure construction, climate change, new energy, medical, and health care within the eight significant steps to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
He said both sides should strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges and that Beijing welcomes more young people from Antigua and Barbuda to study there.
He said China is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with Antigua and Barbuda to advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world, universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and promote building a community with a shared future for humanity.
The Chinese leader said that his country “attaches importance to the concerns and demands of Antigua and Barbuda and other small-island developing countries in the field of climate change, and is ready to support Antigua and Barbuda in hosting the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States” that will be held in St. John’s from May 27-30 this year.
Xi said China would continue to assist in regional countries’ economic and social development within its capacity and promote the continuous development of relations between China and Caribbean countries. Beijing “for its valuable support,” saying that China’s assistance and cooperation have extensively promoted the development of Antigua and Barbuda and helped with its poverty alleviation efforts.
“China adheres to the principle that all countries, regardless of size, are equal and actively promotes the noble vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind,” Browne said.
He said that by proposing the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, China has taken concrete actions to promote joint development and prosperity of the world and benefit the people, showing unparalleled leadership and charisma in the world, and will undoubtedly lead more countries in the Global South to strengthen unity and cooperation.
Browne said Antigua and Barbuda-China relations are based on “profound friendship, mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutually beneficial cooperation.”
He said St. John’s firmly believes that Taiwan “was, is and will always be a province of China. Antigua and Barbuda will continue to abide by the one-China principle, firmly supporting China in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He said Antigua and Barbuda are willing to be China’s most reliable partners and will stand firmly with China on issues concerning the well-being of all humanity and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.
Browne said he hoped that through the visit to China, bilateral relations would be brought to a new level, and more cooperative outcomes would be achieved to bring more benefits to the two peoples.
He said Antigua and Barbuda will continue to actively promote the development of the relationship between the Caribbean Community and China.
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