FM Wang Yi Meets Vanuatu Counterpart to Strengthen Bilateral Relations

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister Marc Ati on Thursday in Xiamen, as part of the Third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting. In their talks, Wang Yi highlighted the sustained growth and strength of the China-Vanuatu comprehensive strategic partnership, describing their cooperation as a model of mutual respect and solidarity among developing nations.

Wang commended the newly formed Vanuatu government for its commitment to maintaining friendly relations with China since taking office in February. He emphasized that such a policy aligns with the fundamental interests of both countries and enjoys wide support across Vanuatu’s political spectrum. “China-Vanuatu relations are now at their historical best,” Wang remarked, calling on both sides to capitalize on this momentum by deepening high-level exchanges and expanding practical areas of collaboration.

In an effort to boost economic ties, Wang expressed China’s support for increased exports of high-quality Vanuatu products to the Chinese market. He also pledged to encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in Vanuatu, signaling a further strengthening of bilateral economic links. Wang stated his hope for the early commencement of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement, which could pave the way for even closer commercial engagement.

Addressing broader regional dynamics, Wang stressed that Pacific island nations are independent and sovereign and have the right to freely choose their development paths and international partners. “They are no one's backyard,” he asserted, adding that the South Pacific should be a platform for global cooperation rather than a site of geopolitical contest.

The Chinese foreign minister reiterated China’s firm support for Vanuatu’s independence, autonomy, and developmental interests. Wang assured that China will continue to stand by Vanuatu in safeguarding its sovereignty and security.

For his part, Foreign Minister Marc Ati described China as a key development partner for Vanuatu. He expressed gratitude for China’s long-term support, which he said has been instrumental in improving living standards and bolstering the country's confidence in its future development. Ati reaffirmed Vanuatu’s unwavering adherence to the one-China policy and expressed readiness to speed up free trade agreement negotiations, and to expand cooperation in areas including education, infrastructure, healthcare, and policing.

Ati concluded by expressing hopes to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to new heights, stating that Vanuatu looks forward to “building a more prosperous future together” with China.