On April 20, 2024 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Papua New Guinea (PNG)'s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko in Port Moresby.

Wang Yi said that China always views and values PNG's role from a strategic perspective. PNG is the largest and most populous Pacific island country, with the most abundant natural resources in the Pacific island region. Located in the connecting belt between Oceania and Southeast Asia, PNG has a unique position and huge development advantages, and is fully capable of becoming a more prosperous country with more self-determination and more influence in the region and the world. China has always developed its relations with PNG from a long-term perspective. The current bilateral relations are the result of the joint guidance of generations of leaders and the joint efforts of friendly people from all walks of life in the two countries. They should inherit it, take good care of it and carry it forward. China is ready to work with PNG to further implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and build a comprehensive strategic partnership of higher level and better quality. China will continue to treat PNG as an equal, and firmly support the country in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national unity, accelerating national revitalization and improving people's livelihood, and playing a bigger role in regional and multilateral affairs.

Wang Yi said that PNG is an important partner in Belt and Road cooperation and has been invited to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation for two consecutive sessions and has made positive contributions. The two countries have drawn up Belt and Road cooperation plans and established a working mechanism. Both sides need to focus on the central task of development cooperation, implement the plans one by one and advance them in a timely manner, so as to ensure that the results of the cooperation will be tangible as soon as possible and bring benefits to the PNG people. China is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with PNG and launch free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations as soon as possible. China is ready to strengthen its cooperation with PNG in such areas as trade and investment, infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and fishery, clean energy and climate change response. China is also ready to create new highlights in its cooperation with PNG in such areas as information and communication technology, disaster prevention and reduction, and police affairs, pushing bilateral relations to higher levels.

Wang Yi stressed that as a developing country, China's exchanges and cooperation with South Pacific island countries are aimed at supporting and helping each other and achieving common development, without any selfish geopolitical interests. The South Pacific region should not become an arena of big power rivalry, and no country should treat the island countries as its "backyard", or engage in zero-sum competition and exclusive arrangements. Instead, more should be done for the island countries and more benefits should be brought to their people.

Tkatchenko said that China is a close friend of PNG. The leaders of the two countries have maintained close communication and established a high degree of mutual trust. Bilateral cooperation in various fields is progressing smoothly and bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. The PNG government has long been firm in upholding and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy, and understands and supports China's efforts to achieve national reunification. PNG is committed to promoting the development of bilateral relations to achieve greater results and looks forward to strengthening cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, education, police affairs, and disaster prevention and mitigation, and further facilitating people-to-people exchanges. He also sincerely thanked China for its selfless assistance to PNG in coping with the recent floods. PNG believes that China's cooperation with South Pacific island countries has promoted regional development, attaches importance to China's important role and fair stance in international and regional affairs, and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China.

The two sides also had an exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern.

After the talks, the two foreign ministers jointly attended the signing ceremony of relevant cooperation documents.