国内英语新闻:China, Papua New Guinea pledge pragmatic cooperation

BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Both Premier Li Keqiang and visiting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Peter O'Neill have expressed the willingness to cooperate more between the two countries in the future.

While holding talks with Prime Minister O'Neill in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Thursday, Premier Li said the relations between the two countries have maintained stable development in recent years, and become an example for relations between China and the island countries in the Pacific Ocean.

"China appreciates Papua New Guinea's firm adherence to the one-China policy and will, as always, support Papua New Guinea's independent choice of development path suited to its national conditions," said Li, stressing that China is willing to link the Belt and Road Initiative with Papua New Guinea's development strategies to make use of their complementary advantages and create more opportunities for cooperation in economy and trade, investment, energy, resources, infrastructure, and industrial capacity.

China supports Papua New Guinea's hosting of the APEC meeting this year and is willing to cooperate and coordinate more in the multilateral mechanism such as the United Nations, APEC, and the Pacific Islands Forum and in dealing with the climate change issue to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, Li said.

O'Neill said relations between Papua New Guinea and China have continued a strong momentum of development since the two countries established diplomatic ties, and the governments of the two countries, the two peoples have maintained friendly ties.

Papua New Guinea is willing to work with China to expand bilateral trade and investment, have more cooperation in the projects in natural gas, industrial parks, community colleges, and cooperate more in fields such as tourism and have more people-to-people exchanges, said O'Neill, who also thanked China for its good support for his country's hosting of the APEC meeting 2018.

After the talks, they jointly witnessed the signing of documents concerning bilateral cooperation.

O'Neill also laid a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing Thursday.