Remarks by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, at the reception of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, on the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the Proclamation of the People’s Republic of China

14/09/23 20:11 | Press release | President of the Republic / Presidency

It is a great pleasure to be with you today to celebrate the 74^th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the People’s Republic of China.

Over the past decades, China has been on a phenomenal journey, emerging as a major player on the international stage. China’s economic growth and rapid advancement in science, transport, communications, logistics and technology, inter alia, has not only benefited its own citizens but has had a profound impact on shaping the global economy.

Despite the geographical distance, the Republic of Cyprus and the People’s Republic of China have forged a profound friendship and collaboration in a multitude of areas, that has stood the test of time. Our bilateral cooperation is based on mutual trust, respect and understanding. In 2021, we celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between our two countries, a significant milestone in our relationship, that paved the way for closer collaboration for decades to come.

Firmly anchored on this very solid base, over recent years our relations have expanded. We have maintained frequent exchanges of high-level visits, have developed practical cooperation across the board, and have advanced trade and economic ties to the benefit of our peoples. Acknowledging the positive progress of bilateral cooperation in the political, social and economic areas, we have also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the United Nations and other international organizations always based on our shared commitment to multilateralism and international law.

Allow me to underline what I personally believe constitutes a significant force for the enhancement of our bilateral partnership, and that is people-to-people exchange. Cyprus and China, two countries with rich histories and ancient civilizations, are determined to further enhance the meaningful cooperation in an extensive array of fields including education, research, innovation, tourism, health, sports and youth.

Cyprus and China are both firmly committed to adherence to the international law, the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the peaceful resolution of international disputes. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for China’s long-standing support on the Cyprus question, and its unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of the Republic of Cyprus. I also wish to extend our gratitude for China’s steadfast support to our efforts to resume negotiations to reach a comprehensive settlement in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

At this point, allow me to underline once more that finding a just, viable and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem constitutes my highest priority. As I have always supported, the reunification of Cyprus, the reunification of its people and its institution will be beneficial not only for the security and prosperity of the island, but also for the broader. Taking also into consideration China’s position as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, Beijing’s support is of very critical importance.

Moreover, our shared respect to international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states is very well known. In that context, the Republic of Cyprus’ support to the One China policy is unwavering.

At the same time, as a European Union member state, the Republic of Cyprus remains a strong supporter of the advancement of EU-China relations. EU and China are important partners and we both have a common interest in pursuing constructive, stable and mutually beneficial relations, especially through the EU-China high-level political dialogue, with the aim of fostering mutual understanding and address the various challenges in the global stage, such as the climate change, health pandemics and the world economy.

Cyprus and China are determined to strengthen existing ties, and to further advance our longstanding friendship.

With these thoughts, allow me to raise my glass to the good health of His Excellency President Xi Jinping, the prosperity of the people of the People’s Republic of China, and the friendship between Cyprus and China.

(RM/NG)

Remarks by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, at the reception of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, on the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the Proclamation of the People’s Republic of China

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