State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met with Secretary-General of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Greg Urwin in Beijing Wednesday, pledging to improve trade ties between China and the Pacific island nations.

 

"China will provide the forum with assistance to the best of its ability in such areas as regional security and environmental protection," said Tang.

 

"China highly values the cooperation with the PIF and engages in further promoting trade exchanges between the two sides," Tang added.

 

The PIF, established in 1971 as an inter-government organization, groups Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

 

Urwin said the PIF attaches great importance to establishing long-term cooperation with China and hopes China could play constructive role in the region.

 

The PIF will continue to stick to the one-China policy and properly handle Taiwan-related issues, Urwin said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2006)