Wang Yi Holds Virtual Meeting with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Kandhi Elieisar of the Federated States of Micronesia

On June 2, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a virtual meeting with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Kandhi Elieisar of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) in Papua New Guinea.

Wang Yi said, China and the FSM have witnessed fruitful results since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 30 years ago. We should cherish the path our predecessors have blazed and their painstaking efforts, carry forward traditional friendship, stick to the right direction, remove obstacles and interference, advance the cause of friendship and stride toward the goal of win-win cooperation.

Wang Yi said, the bilateral trade volume between China and the FSM increased by more than 30 percent last year, fully demonstrating the potential for cooperation. The two sides should seek greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Blue Prosperity Micronesia, expand cooperation in fields such as agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, trade, investment and tourism, and take concrete actions to send a positive signal of enhancing friendship, consolidating mutual trust and opening up the future.

Elieisar welcomed Wang Yi's virtual visit to the FSM, saying that this visit showcases the mature and robust bilateral ties between the FSM and China. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China has always been sincere and friendly to the FSM, respected the FSM's development needs, and carried out fruitful practical cooperation, making important contributions to the FSM's economic and social development and its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The two sides have always trusted and respected each other in multilateral affairs. The FSM looks forward to developing and consolidating sound relations with China to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

The two sides also mainly exchanged views on cooperation between China and Pacific Island Countries (PICs).

Wang Yi said, the second China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting has just been successfully held. All parties at the meeting fully recognized the important achievements China and PICs have made in strengthening solidarity and coordination over nearly half a century, as well as China's unremitting efforts in maintaining regional stability and development. On the basis of bilateral cooperation with PICs and in light of their wish, China has set up the dialogue platform of Foreign Ministers' Meetings to conduct collective dialogue and regional cooperation. We are ready to step up coordination with PICs and work to simultaneously leverage the strengths of bilateral cooperation and regional coordination, which can be likened to a two-horse carriage or twin engines, to form greater synergy to help PICs accelerate their self-driven and sustainable development. The facts over nearly half a century have proved that the exchanges between China and PICs did not and will not affect regional security and stability. What we focus on is economic development, and what we care about is improving people's well-being. What we are doing in PICs is building roads and bridges rather than increasing military presence. The Position Paper issued by the Chinese side after the Foreign Ministers' Meeting further demonstrated China's positive attitude and concrete measures in conducting cooperation with PICs. We will continue to work with other developing countries, including PICs, to firmly hold the right to development into our own hands, accelerate development and revitalization, achieve common prosperity and promote equity in the world.

Elieisar appreciated China's important role in the successful holding of the second Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He thanked China for treating PICs as close friends, and said that the FSM is ready to work with all parties to forge a partnership featuring mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual trust.