The South Pacific region should be an arena for cooperation, not vicious competition, Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said Thursday in response to the Solomon Islands prime minister's rejection of any foreign military bases in the country.

Wang said that China and the South Pacific island countries (PICs) are good friends that vow for common development and mutual benefit. China has provided a lot of support and assistance to the development of the countries of the region.

Wang also noted that China has made positive contributions to the economic development of the PICs, the improvement of people's livelihood and local employment, which have been warmly welcomed by the local peoples.

China and the PICs reached 52 cooperation pacts, covering 15 areas, including projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, climate change response, the COVID-19 pandemic, green development, health and, trade and tourism, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference held in June in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

China issued its official document "China's position paper on mutual respect and common development with Pacific Island countries" on May 30, upholding that all countries regardless of their size, strength and wealth, are equals, and advocating for peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are the common values of humanity.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said earlier that cooperation between China and the PICs is a vibrant "two-wheel drive" with the bilateral main channel and a new multilateral platform.

China is ready to strengthen communication with all nations that truly care about the PICs, carry out trilateral and multilateral cooperation on the basis of respecting their wishes, and jointly support island countries in enhancing their capacity for independent and sustainable development, Wang Wenbin remarked.

Global Times