|
It is a great pleasure to be
with you today to celebrate the 74th Anniversary of the
Proclamation of the People’s Republic of China.
Over the past decades, China
has been on a phenomenal journey, emerging as a major player on the
international stage. China's economic growth and rapid advancement in
science, transport, communications, logistics and technology, inter alia, has
not only benefited its own citizens but has had a profound impact on shaping
the global economy.
Despite the geographical
distance, the Republic of Cyprus and the People’s Republic of China have
forged a profound friendship and collaboration in a multitude of areas, that
has stood the test of time. Our bilateral cooperation is based on mutual
trust, respect and understanding. In 2021, we celebrated the 50th anniversary
of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between our two countries, a
significant milestone in our relationship, that paved the way for closer
collaboration for decades to come.
Firmly anchored on
this very solid base, over recent years our relations have
expanded. We have maintained frequent exchanges of high-level visits, have
developed practical cooperation across the board, and have advanced trade and
economic ties to the benefit of our peoples. Acknowledging the positive
progress of bilateral cooperation in the political, social and economic
areas, we have also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the United Nations
and other international organizations always based on our shared commitment
to multilateralism and international law.
Allow me to underline what I
personally believe constitutes a significant force for the enhancement of our
bilateral partnership, and that is people-to-people exchange. Cyprus and
China, two countries with rich histories and ancient civilizations, are determined
to further enhance the meaningful cooperation in an extensive array of fields
including education, research, innovation, tourism, health, sports and youth.
Cyprus and China are both
firmly committed to adherence to the international law, the principles
enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the peaceful resolution of
international disputes. I would therefore like to take this opportunity
to express our deep appreciation for China’s long-standing support on the
Cyprus question, and its unwavering commitment to the sovereignty,
territorial integrity, and independence of the Republic of Cyprus. I also
wish to extend our gratitude for China’s steadfast support to our
efforts to resume negotiations to reach a comprehensive settlement in
accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
At this point, allow me to
underline once more that finding a just, viable and lasting solution to the
Cyprus problem constitutes my highest priority. As I have always supported,
the reunification of Cyprus, the reunification of its people and its institution
will be beneficial not only for the security and prosperity of the island,
but also for the broader region. Taking also into consideration China’s
position as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, Beijing’s support
is of very critical importance.
Moreover, our shared respect to
international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states
is very well known. In that context, the Republic of Cyprus’ support to the
One China policy is unwavering.
At the same time, as a European
Union member state, the Republic of Cyprus remains a strong supporter of
the advancement of EU-China relations. EU and China are important partners
and we both have a common interest in pursuing constructive, stable and mutually
beneficial relations, especially through the EU-China high-level
political dialogue, with the aim of fostering mutual understanding and
address the various challenges in the global stage, such as the climate
change, health pandemics and the world economy.
Cyprus and China are determined
to strengthen existing ties, and to further advance our longstanding
friendship.
With these thoughts, allow me
to raise my glass to the good health of His Excellency President Xi
Jinping, the prosperity of the people of the People’s Republic of China,
and the friendship between Cyprus and China.
(RM/NG)
|
