Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met several leaders from South and Southeast Asian countries in Kunming in China’s Yunnan Province on Wednesday. The leaders were invited to attend the opening ceremony of the 7th China-South Asia Expo. Yang Jinghao reports.
While meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said some flagship cooperation projects, especially the Port City Colombo and Hambantota port, will not only benefit the people of his country, but also play a key role in regional connectivity and sustainable development.
He hopes that both sides can deepen cooperation in such areas as investment, agriculture, tourism, energy and innovation to help Sri Lanka achieve food self-sufficiency and accelerate the development of key industries.
Wang said that China is willing to help Sri Lanka effectively deal with the financial debt problems, get rid of the “poverty trap” and “non-development trap,” and accelerate the industrialization process and agricultural modernization.
Lao Vice President Pany Yathotou highlighted the cooperative results under the Belt and Road Initiative, especially the operation of the railway connecting Kunming with Vientiane. She said her country is willing to actively participate in the global development, security and civilization initiatives proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Laos will assume the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN next year. Wang said China expects the neighbor to make new contributions to China-ASEAN cooperation. And Laos is welcome to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Yunnan and other Chinese provinces and regions.
During their meeting, Nepal’s Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav said Nepal will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy and will never allow any force to use Nepalese territory to engage in anti-China activities.
Wang appreciated this and said the two sides should jointly build the “Belt and Road” with high quality, speed up the feasibility study of a cross-border railway.
During his meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, Wang said China will work with ASEAN countries including Vietnam to uphold the spirit of friendly consultation and mutually beneficial cooperation, oppose provocation and interference by external forces, and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and the region.
Tran said Vietnam will strengthen high-level exchanges with China and deepen practical cooperation in various fields. The country is willing to play its due role in ASEAN to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and achieve common development.
YANG JINGHAO, Kunming, Yunnan Province “These meetings follow Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia last week. Experts say this demonstrates how China and south and southeast Asian countries are willing to strengthen bilateral relations, which is only likely to benefit both sides as the world looks to recover from COVID-19. YJH, CGTN, Kunming, Yunnan Province.”
Source: news.cgtn.
