Samoa, China agree on mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation

APIA - Samoan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Saturday, with both sides reaffirming commitment to the mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation.

During their talks, Fiame congratulated the Communist Party of China (CPC) on its centennial last year and wished the 20th National Congress of the CPC a great success.

The prime minister said that she has paid many visits to China whose development path and people-centered concept she appreciates, and expressed hope that her country can conduct exchanges with China on the experiences on economic growth and poverty alleviation.

Meanwhile, she reaffirmed Samoa's steadfast commitment to the one-China principle as well as non-interference on the Taiwan question.

The Samoa-China cooperation has reaped remarkable results in various fields, with Samoa's infrastructure effectively improved and agricultural modernization enhanced, said Fiame.

Samoa will continue its efforts to boost the bilateral partnership featuring mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit and win-win results.

For his part, Wang congratulated the Pacific island nation on the 60th anniversary of its independence, and expressed appreciation for the development of friendship between China and Samoa over the past nearly half a century since their establishing diplomatic ties, and for Samoa having adhered to the one-China principle unswervingly and supported China safeguarding its core interests.

China has always advocated that all countries are equal regardless of their sizes and strengths, Wang said, noting that as the world's largest developing country, China has always stood on the side of the developing countries and worked to seek justice for smaller nations, Wang said.

He said developing countries need to strengthen unity amid the once-in-a-century changes.

China is willing to spare no effort in supporting developing countries, including Pacific island nations in speeding up their development and revitalization, Wang said, adding that, in doing so, China has never interfered in the internal affairs of any country, has never added political conditions, and has never sought geopolitical interests.

China is willing to achieve development and prosperity together with other developing countries and hence make the world fairer, said the Chinese foreign minister.

He said the cooperation between China and other developing countries including Pacific island nations targets no third party and seeks no exclusive rights or interests.

China has no intention of competing with other countries, and has always opposed the zero-sum game, said Wang, adding that China is willing to enhance communication with whichever country that cares for Pacific island nations, Australia and New Zealand in particular, to conduct more trilateral cooperation, giving full play to the parties' respective advantages, and based on respecting the island nations' will.

The two sides also exchanged views on climate change during the meeting.

Wang said the Chinese side has established a cooperation center for China and Pacific island countries on climate change, and that China is willing to continue to help small island countries strengthen their capacity building in tackling climate change within the framework of the South-South cooperation.

Wang, in the meantime, urged developed countries to earnestly take on the historical responsibilities in emissions reduction and fulfill their obligations.

The Samoan prime minister expressed her approval of Wang's remarks, and said that coping with climate change has become an important field of cooperation between Pacific island countries and China, expecting that the cooperation center between China and Pacific island countries on climate change will play an active role.

The pair, after the meeting, attended a signing ceremony of documents on economic, technical and cultural cooperation.