China and Cyprus should seize the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations to forge closer, strategic ties, says Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus Liu Yantao.
The Ambassador met last Thursday with the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, to discuss the upcoming anniversary, while informing the President that Chinese companies and the Chinese community in Cyprus are making donations and organizing events to help the victims of the uprising.
In an interview with the Cypriot News Agency, Ambassador Liu referred to the latest developments in the Cyprus issue, conveying Beijing's willingness to continue to play a constructive role, facilitating the finding of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement, according to the vote.
Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the People's Republic of China were established on December 14, 1971. According to the Ambassador, during the meeting with President Anastasiadis, they discussed the progress of bilateral relations and exchanged views on the 50th anniversary and plans. for the future.
“Ten months since I took office as Ambassador of China to Cyprus, I feel more and more that there is a broad consensus among the leaders and all walks of life of our two countries to promote friendly relations and cooperation between China and Cyprus. “, Declares the Ambassador.
He also noted that “the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Anastasiadis and the joint commitment to common principles and values is the key to the success of our bilateral relations and long-term friendship.”
According to the Chinese Ambassador, during the meeting it was agreed that the two countries “should think about the present and look to the future, seize the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations to forge closer ties, strategically,” collaborating on development plans, jointly building a green, healthy and digital Silk Road, creating an alliance of twin cities and museums and enhancing exchanges and cooperation in all areas of education, culture, tourism and the media, towards the best interests of both countries and peoples “.
He also expressed confidence that China-Cyprus ties “will have an even brighter future”.
“Avoid unilateral actions”
“China is closely monitoring developments in Varosya and claims that the announcement of further opening of Varosia by the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders violates Security Council resolutions and increases tensions, which is completely inappropriate and unconstructive,” the ambassador said. in relation to the latest developments in the Cyprus issue.
Both the Presidential Security Council statement on Varosha and the resolution on the renewal of UNFICYP's mandate explicitly call on the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders to immediately withdraw all unilateral action taken since October 2020, he added. That, he says, is China's consistent position as well as the expectation of the international community at large.
Asked about China's efforts to maintain international legitimacy, the ambassador said that as a permanent member of the Security Council, his country firmly supports the United Nations jurisdiction and that UN resolutions on the Cyprus issue must be respected. and fully implemented.
“China has from the beginning taken an objective and fair stance on the Cyprus issue, supporting all the efforts made by Cyprus to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
“We have played and are willing to continue to play a constructive role in facilitating a comprehensive, fair and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue within the framework of the relevant UN resolutions,” the Ambassador further stressed.
Ambassador Liu also notes that the leaders of China and Cyprus maintain regular communication on the Cyprus issue. “Since 2015, China has been sending members of the police to take part in the UNFICYP peacekeeping mission, helping to maintain peace and stability in Cyprus,” he added.
China argues that the international community should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus, try to encourage stakeholders to reduce differences through dialogue and consultation in the context of Security Council resolutions on a bi-zonal bi-communal federation and creates the conditions and builds the conditions for the resumption of negotiations, says Ambassador Liu.
It also notes that “in order to maintain lasting peace and stability in Cyprus and throughout the region, stakeholders must fully respect international law and avoid any unilateral action that may increase tensions and confrontation and undermine efforts.” for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue “.
This year, the two countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The organization of a series of festive events is underway through close, coordinated efforts of the two sides, the Ambassador notes.
“China and Cyprus jointly held the first online forum for the exchange of experiences in the field of governance and for the 50 years of China-Cyprus diplomatic relations. “To celebrate our 50th anniversary, the two sides will also hold a photo exhibition, shoot a documentary on Cypriot-Chinese friendship, create a logo for this special occasion, and organize a lighting ceremony,” he explains.
According to Ambassador Liu, the two sides will also intensify the promotion of Cyprus in China, through the participation of Cyprus in the 4th international exhibition “China International Import Expo” and its first online exhibit, will deepen their practical cooperation in various fields. under the “one zone and one road” initiative, and will strengthen cooperation at the level of local government and friendly relations between peoples, promoting more twinning of cities, launching joint educational programs and so on.
“I am very happy to see that all social sectors in China and Cyprus are actively participating in the organization of these festive events, contributing with their wisdom and efforts to the summary of 50 years of successful Cypriot-Chinese friendship and to the planning of the future development of the bilateral our relationship “he notes.
2021 also marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CCP). “Starting with just over 50 members, the CCP has now become the largest ruling party in the world with more than 95 million members, leading a country of more than 1.4 billion people with significant global influence in the meantime,” he said. Ambassador.
Over the past century, he adds, the CCP has united and guided the Chinese people in overcoming various difficulties and obstacles. “After the founding of New China, especially after the reform, the opening and the 18th National Congress of the CCP, under the leadership of the CCP, China has achieved 'double miracles' in terms of both rapid economic growth and long-term social stability, lifted almost 800 million people out of poverty, eradicated absolute poverty at national level, achieved a fairly prosperous society in all respects and set the goal of completing the construction of a modern socialist country by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, “he said.
In addition, Ambassador Liu notes that in the first half of 2021, China's economy continued its steady recovery, with GDP growing by 12.7% year on year to 53.2 trillion yuan (about 6.96 trillion euros) . The unemployment rate in cities across the country averaged 5.2%, down 0.6% from the same period last year, he added.
This year also marks the beginning of China's 14th Five-Year Plan or “the beginning of China's new journey to build a modern socialist country in an integrated way,” the ambassador said.
The CCP, he says, will take on the responsibilities of being a major political party in a large country, to re-contribute to the growth of human prosperity, and to actively improve global governance to contribute to humanity's common response to common challenges. .
Research on the origin of the coronavirus on the basis of scientific criteria
The Ambassador also says that the detection of the origin of the coronavirus should be done on the basis of scientific principles and rules. Commenting on the recent US intelligence assessment, Ambassador Liu said it was “a political report that runs counter to science, a report that seeks scapegoats and shifts responsibility for the failed US response to a pandemic and an unfounded report defaming China with fabricated evidence. “
This assessment, he continues, is “further evidence of how the United States is trying to mislead and deceive the international community, such as the rumors that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction using a package of 'washing powder'.” .
The ambassador says that since the outbreak of the pandemic, his country has acted on the principles of science, honesty and transparency, shared the data of gene sequencing and assisted in efforts to combat the pandemic worldwide.
China, he continues, is committed to international cooperation in the fight against the virus, as well as to a scientific approach to research into the origin of the coronavirus, and rejects the wrong approach to politicizing efforts on these two fronts.
To date, more than 80 countries have written to the WHO in support of a global investigation into the origin of the virus, as they oppose politicization and drawing guided conclusions, Ambassador Liu added.
It also notes that since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Cyprus stand in solidarity and work closely with the donation of medical supplies, the exchange of expertise to combat pandemics and the promotion of vaccination programs, to rehabilitate and staff and business ties between the two countries as well as between China and Europe.
“We hope that our two countries will maintain the momentum in their cooperation and contribute more to the global fight against COVID-19,” the Ambassador concludes.
source: TO THEMA ONLINE RUN and POWER Group: Enhanced Living Experience.
