Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa on Saturday - the third stop on Wang's visit to the Pacific region, with the two sides signing a cooperation agreement on economic technology and culture, according to a release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

During their meeting, Fiame, who is also the Foreign Minister of Samoa, said she had visited China many times and admired China's development path and the emphasis on a people-centered approach. She expressed hope to strengthen exchanges with China on economic development, especially on poverty alleviation. 

Samoa firmly insists on the one-China principle and not interfering with China's internal affairs on the question of the island of Taiwan, Fiame said.

The Samoan Prime Minister also noted that cooperation with China in all sectors has produced noticeable achievements, helping Samoa to promote its infrastructure and agricultural technologies. Samoa will carry on promoting the bilateral partnership based on mutual respect, trust and benefit. 

Wang praised the friendly exchanges between China and Samoa for half a century after the establishment of diplomatic relations and admired Samoa's insistence on the one-China principle to defend China's core interests.

Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

China has always insisted that all countries no matter their sizes and strength are equal. As the biggest development country in the world, China has always stood with the developing countries and called on justice for them since China shared similar experiences throughout history and a common mission for development. China's such diplomatic tradition will never change, Wang said. 

Wang also noted that China is willing to do all it can to help developing countries, including island nations in the Pacific to speed up developments, and during this process, China has never interfered with other countries' internal affairs, not attached political strings and has not pursued geopolitical interests. China is willing to achieve development and prosperity with developing countries and to make the world fairer. 

Wang stressed that China's cooperation with developing and Pacific island nations does not target the third party nor will it seek exclusiveness. "We have no intention to compete with others and have always opposed a zero-sum game mindset," Wang said, noting that China is willing to strengthen communications with all countries that care for island nations, especially Australia and New Zealand and others, leverage each country's advantages and carry out more tripartite cooperation based on respect toward island nations. 

Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry

Australia and the US are closely watching Wang's trip to Pacific island nations, trying hard to demonize China's cooperation with these countries.  

The two sides also exchanged ideas on climate change. Wang stressed that China has set a China-Pacific Island nations cooperation center and is willing to help these countries to deal with climate change. He also urged developed countries to fulfill their commitment on carbon emissions. 

Agreeing with Wang, Fiame also noted that climate change has become an importance field for Pacific island nations to cooperate with China and wished the cooperation center will play an active role. 

The two sides also signed agreements on many fields including economic technologies and culture. 

Wang also met with Samoa's head of state Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II on Saturday.