Xi pledges aid to Pacific island nations
Beijing to continue extending anti-virus support to Belgrade, he tells Serbia leader
President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday China’s decision to establish a reserve of emergency response supplies for Pacific island countries in a bid to help those nations including Fiji lift their ability to respond to major public health emergencies and natural disasters.
He made the announcement while speaking on the phone with Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. He also had a phone conversation with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Fiji have stood in solidarity and jointly fought against it, which further deepened bilateral friendship and cooperation, Xi told Bainimarama, adding that Beijing will continue to offer support in the form of vaccines to Fiji’s pandemic fight.
China is willing to work with Fiji to continuously bring their bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, better benefit the two peoples and jointly protect the common interests of developing nations, he said.
Xi expressed his readiness to boost alignment in strategies, jointly build the Belt and Road and deepen cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, transport, communications and tourism, adding that the nation will continue to help Fiji improve its capacity to cope with climate change.
Bainimarama offered his congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and expressed his appreciation for China’s precious support to Fiji’s pandemic fight.
Fiji will firmly adhere to the oneChina policy and uphold an objective and just position on issues concerning Taiwan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, he said, adding that Fiji will not do things that harm China’s interests.
The joint building of the Belt and Road will usher in important opportunities for bilateral cooperation, and Fiji will continue to take an active part in the initiative, he said.
In his talks with Vucic, Xi said China and Serbia should jointly respond to global challenges such as the pandemic, promoting economic recovery and climate change, adding that Beijing will continue to extend anti-pandemic support to Belgrade if necessary.
The rock-solid friendship between the two sides is more than precious, and it is worthwhile for both sides to resolutely uphold and strengthen for generations to come, he said.
With both sides facing new opportunities and challenges, Xi highlighted the importance for the two nations to view and develop bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective and make the friendship even stronger as time goes by.
He urged both sides to offer each other steadfast support over respective endeavors to safeguard national sovereignty and security, adding that China supports the Serbian people in following a path that suits their national conditions.
It is important for both nations to promote the high-quality building of the Belt and Road, foster new growth points in cooperation, share opportunities and jointly plan development, he added.
Both nations should enhance coordination on multilateral affairs, resolutely defend the international system with the United Nations at its core, safeguard international laws and basic norms in international relations and practice true multilateralism, Xi said.
Vucic also offered his congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, saying that China is a great friend of Serbia and bilateral relations are at their best in history.
He expressed his hope that the two sides can continue to step up cooperation in vaccines, adding that Serbia will actively take part in the joint building of the Belt and Road and expand pragmatic cooperation in various fields.