On October 25, Ambassador Wu Xi met with the Cook Islands Acting Prime Minister and Minster of Infrastructure & Planning Hon Robert Tapaitau and the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Hon Tepaeru Herrmann in Avarua, the capital of the Cook Islands. The two sides exchange views on a range of issues, including the current relationship between China and the Cook Islands.

Ambassador Wu noted that over the past 22 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Cook Islands, bilateral relations have maintained positive momentum. The two countries now enjoy a deeper friendship, with more frequent exchanges at all levels and more advanced economic and trade cooperation. China maintains the principle that all countries, big or small, should be treated equally. China appreciates the Cook Islands’ long-term adherence to the one-China policy and stands ready to actively implement the consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and Prime Minster Henry Puna in their meeting held in Papua New Guinea last November. China would like to work together with the Cook Islands to further advance the comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development.

Ambassador Wu extended her congratulations to the Cook Islands for its significant achievements. She noted that China is willing to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with the Cook Islands under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative to achieve win-win results to benefit the two peoples. China attaches great importance to the special concerns and legitimate demands of Pacific island countries in combating climate change. China will continue to provide assistance within its capacity to Pacific island countries through South-South cooperation to help them improve their capacities in combating climate change. China and the Pacific island countries will jointly promote the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and build a clean and beautiful world.

The Cook Islands side reiterated its adherence to the one-China policy and thanked China for its generous help over the years, which has played a positive role in the economic transformation and social development of the Cook Islands. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Cook Islands 22 years ago, cooperation in various fields has continued to grow and bilateral relations have been advanced in a stable way. This is mainly attributable to the principles of mutual respect and frank communication, which have built a trusted partnership between the two countries. While pursuing its own development strategy, The Cook Islands will continue to strengthen communication with China, promote cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and expand exchanges and cooperation in areas such as agriculture, climate change and tourism.