China will work with Islamic countries to uphold true multilateralism: Wang Yi

• Wang Yi says China and the Islamic world have found a path of friendship and win-win cooperation among civilizations.
• China respects the choice of Afghan people, and supports Afghanistan’s efforts to usher in an inclusive political structure, Yi says.
• Says Islamic civilisations are ancient civilisations with significant global influence.

ISLAMABAD: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that Beijing will work with Islamic countries to uphold true multilateralism, defend the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguard the UN-centered international system.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 48th meeting of OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers, Wang Yi said Tuesday that it is a great pleasure to be invited to attend and speak at the ceremony, adding that both Chinese and Islamic civilisations are ancient civilisations with significant global influence.

“Over the years, we have always respected and trusted each other, and supported each other on issues involving our respective core concerns,” he added.

Yi said China will never forget that when Algeria and other countries jointly tabled a resolution at the UN, nearly 30 Islamic countries firmly supported it, carrying China into the Organisation.

Likewise, on the Palestinian issue which is of top concern to the Islamic world, China’s support has never been hesitant or absent, he added.

The foreign minister said: “We have always stood in solidarity and mutual support, and shared a commitment to common development. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Islamic countries have immediately rendered China valuable support, and China has promptly provided 1.3 billion doses of vaccines and a large number of supplies to 50 Islamic countries.”

Belt and Road cooperation

The Chinese foreign minister said that Belt and Road cooperation has become a bridge and bond connecting the two sides for development and prosperity.

“To date, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with 54 Islamic countries and launched nearly 600 large-scale projects worth US$400 billion. The cooperation has delivered real benefits to the people of China and Islamic countries,” he added.

Yi said that China and Islamic countries have always learned from each other and shared the commitment to safeguarding the diversity of civilisations of the world.

“We will foster greater synergy among our development strategies. We will pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the Global Development Initiative (GDI) as “twin engines” to enhance cooperation in traditional areas and foster new highlights, so as to facilitate the development and rejuvenation of China and Islamic countries, guide South-South cooperation, and give a strong impetus to realising the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development,” he added.

Chinese, Islamic civilisations moving forward hand in hand

He maintained that both Chinese and Islamic civilisations have made remarkable contributions to human civilisation in history. Both have been treated unjustly in modern times.

“And today both are moving forward hand in hand on the journey toward development and rejuvenation. We should vigorously advocate equal-footed dialogue, exchange and mutual learning among civilisations, so as to draw wisdom from each other’s time-honoured civilisation, resist “civilisation profiling”, and reject the notion of a clash of civilisations.”

Win-win cooperation

He said that China and the Islamic world have found a path of friendship and win-win cooperation among civilisations.

“In this volatile and changing world, the theme of this Session — “Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice and Development” — answers the common call of the majority of countries in the world,” he said, adding that China is ready to work with Islamic countries to build the following four partnerships.

“We need to be partners upholding unity and coordination. Our two sides need to firmly support each other in defending national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, firmly support each other in independently exploring the development path befitting our respective national conditions, and firmly support each other in safeguarding legitimate development rights and interests and the common interests of the developing countries at large,” he added.

COVID-19

The foreign minister said that we should stay united to defeat COVID-19. China will continue to provide 300 million doses of vaccine to Islamic countries to help them build a line of defence for health, Yi added.

China will continue to stand with Palestinians

He said that China will continue to stand firmly with the Palestinian people. China supports an early, more authoritative and representative international peace conference on the basis of the two-state solution so as to promote a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue.

China respects choice of Afghan people

Yi said that China respects the choice of the Afghan people, and supports Afghanistan’s efforts to usher in an inclusive political structure and moderate governance and open a new chapter of peace and reconstruction.

Kashmir issue

He says,” On Kashmir, we have heard again today the calls of many of our Islamic friends. And China shares the same hope.”

Ukraine crisis

Yi said Beijing supports Russia and Ukraine in continuing their peace talks and hopes that the talks will lead to a ceasefire, end the fighting, and bring about peace. 

Humanitarian disasters should be avoided, and spillover of the Ukrainian crisis should be prevented so as not to affect and harm the legitimate rights and interests of other regions and countries.