China, Fiji vow to lift bilateral ties to new height

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Fiji's Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept 27, 2014. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Fijian counterpart Ratu Inoke Kubuabola on Saturday agreed to further develop their friendship and cooperation in a bid to elevate bilateral relations to a new height.

The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the current annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly, which opened here Wednesday.

During the meeting, Wang congratulated Fiji on its successful general elections last week, the first in eight years in the south Pacific island country since the military took power.

Since the establishment of their diplomatic relations in November 1975, China and Fiji have been respecting and supporting each other, treating each other with sincerity and carrying out friendly cooperation, the Chinese minister said.

China firmly supports the Fijian people in their efforts to independently choose the path of development that suits their own national conditions.

Together with Fiji, China will take the formation of Fiji's new government as an opportunity to maintain high-level visits, establish practical cooperation in trade, infrastructure, agriculture, fishing, forestry and tourism, and elevate bilateral relations to a new height, Wang said.

During the talks, Fijian foreign minister said Fiji is grateful to China for its longstanding and generous help.

Fiji is embracing a new stage of development and reform, and looks forward to China's energetic support, Kubuabola said.

The Fijian minister said that his country is ready to deepen practical cooperation with China, and promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges so as to secure new progress of bilateral relations.