China's top legislator holds talks with speaker of Kiribati's House of Assembly

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Speaker of Kiribati's House of Assembly Tangariki Reete at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji held talks with Speaker of Kiribati's House of Assembly Tangariki Reete in Beijing Thursday.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said the China-Kiribati relations achieved fruitful results since the two countries officially resumed diplomatic relations. China is willing to work with Kiribati to fully implement the consensus reached by both leaders and push the development of bilateral ties to a new level.

Noting the fundamental prerequisite for the smooth development of bilateral relations is to properly handle the Taiwan question, Zhao said China highly appreciates that Kiribati adheres to the one-China principle and hopes both sides will continue to support each other on the issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns.

Zhao said China is ready to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative with the development plan of Kiribati and make more fruitful cooperation in such areas as trade and investment, infrastructure, energy and transportation, agriculture, fishery, and tourism.

It is hoped that the two sides will expand exchanges and sub-national cooperation in education, culture, youth, health, sports and other fields, and promote mutual learning among civilizations and mutual understanding and amity between peoples, Zhao added.

Noting China's NPC stands ready to carry out more friendly exchanges with Kiribati's House of Assembly, Zhao called on the two sides to strengthen exchanges in various forms and through different channels, enhance their mutual experience in fields like legislation and supervision, and promote the communication and cooperation in international and regional parliamentary organizations.

Zhao introduced China's developing whole-process people's democracy, saying that China is willing to work with developing countries, including Kiribati, to jointly promote the construction of democratic politics suited to their own national conditions.

Reete said Kiribati firmly upholds the one-China principle, congratulated them on the massive achievement Chinese people have made, and thanked for the selfless assistance and help offered by China to Kiribati.

Reete added that Kiribati's House of Assembly is willing to strengthen exchanges with China's NPC and positively contribute to bilateral relations development and enhance the friendship between the two peoples.