INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will chair the
Third China-Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Xiamen, Fujian Province from May 28 to 29, a Chinese Foreign
Ministry spokesperson announced on Wednesday.Foreign ministers or representatives from 11 island countries having diplomatic relations with
China, namely President and Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau of Kiribati, Premier and Foreign Minister Dalton Tagelagi of Niue, Crown Prince
and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala of Tonga, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Lionel Rouwen Aingimea of Nauru,
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Lorin S
Robert of Federated States of Micronesia, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Peter Shanel Agovaka of Solomon Islands, Minister
of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade Marc Ati of Vanuatu, Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko of
Papua New Guinea, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration Tingika Elikana of the Cook Islands, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs
and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Lenora Qereqeretabua of Fiji, representative of the government of Samoa and Ambassador of Samoa to
Mariner, and Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Esala Nayasi will attend the meeting upon invitation, according to the
spokesperson.Spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference that China and PICs are comprehensive strategic partners committed to
mutual respect and common development
She added that the two sides have deepened and advanced friendly ties and cooperation in recent years.Noting that it is the first time the
meeting will be held in person in China, Mao added that there will be an in-depth exchange of views on interactions and cooperation between
China and PICs in all aspects, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest.China highly values its ties with PICs and
hopes the meeting will help drive the implementation of the important common understandings reached between leaders of the two sides,
enhance solidarity and coordination, unite efforts for development and prosperity, and galvanize an even closer community with a shared
future between China and PICs, Mao said.
