Beijing, October 16th—Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met here today with Johnny Koanapo Rasou, Secretary General of the Vanuaaku Party and Minister of Finance and Economic Management of Vanuatu.

Liu said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Vanuatu, bilateral relations have withstood the test of the international vicissitudes, and maintained healthy and stable development. In July this year, President Xi Jinping held a successful meeting with Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, who was visiting China, charting the course for the future development of China-Vanuatu relations. China is willing to work with Vanuatu to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, continue to firmly support each other on issues involving respective core interests and major concerns, and work together to promote the modernization process of respective countries. China and Vanuatu are both members of the Global South. China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Vanuatu on international and regional affairs, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and defend international fairness and justice.

Liu said，despite different political views, political parties in Vanuatu all uphold a friendly policy toward China, which China appreciates. The Vanuaaku Party is the first political party in the Pacific Island countries to establish inter-party relations with the CPC. The CPC is willing to strengthen exchanges and dialogues with the Vanuaaku Party, and deepen cooperation in party building and cadre training, so as to promote the development of relations between the two countries. Liu introduced the CPC's experience in state governance in combination with the history of China's revolution and construction, and expressed the CPC's willingness to deepen exchanges of experience in state governance and administration with the Vanuaaku Party.

Koanapo said, I had the honor to accompany Prime Minister Charlot Salwai on his visit to China a few months ago. The visit was a complete success, vigorously boosting the development of Vanuatu-China relations. Vanuatu highly appreciates the great achievements made by the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC in modernization and other aspects. It thanks China for the long-term valuable assistance in infrastructure construction and other fields, and is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in economy, trade, investment and other fields. The Vanuaaku Party is the oldest political party in Vanuatu and the first political party in the Pacific Island countries to establish inter-party relations with the CPC. We are proud of this. The Vanuaaku Party hopes to strengthen exchanges with the CPC, and learn experience in party building, especially in the education and training of young people, from the CPC, so as to improve its own governance capabilities and better build its own country.

John William Timakata, member of the national executive committee of the Vanuaaku Party and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and others were present.