VIENNA, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks here on Friday with his Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger, with both sides vowing to lift bilateral relations to a new stage.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said Austria is a country with European tradition, and the long-term stability of China-Austria relations serves both sides' interests and accords with the trend of history.
Last week, China solemnly commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Wang said, adding that China took in Jews from Austria, opening for them a precious "door of life," and also received valuable support from Austrian friends during those difficult years in World War II.
As China and Austria will mark the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, Wang said that the China-Austria friendly strategic partnership is the most accurate positioning of the bilateral ties and also a true reflection of how China-Austria relations have withstood the tests of the changing international landscape.
China attaches great importance to China-Austria ties, appreciates the continuity of the new Austrian government's China policy, hopes that Austria will work with China in the spirit of mutual respect, close communication, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and win-win cooperation, and seize the opportunities from China's vast market and green industrial transformation, advancing bilateral relations to a new stage of higher quality, Wang said.
Wang also elaborated on China's principled position on Taiwan, stressing that Taiwan's return to China is an important part of the outcomes of the victory in World War II and the postwar international order.
He expressed the hope that Austria will faithfully adhere to the one-China principle and refrain from conducting any official interactions with the Taiwan region to safeguard the political foundation of China-Austria relations.
On global governance, Wang said currently unilateral hegemonic practices are running rampant and global governance cannot keep pace with the changing realities, making reform and improvement imperative.
The Global Governance Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping systematically outlines five key principles: sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, the people-centered approach, and taking real actions, Wang said, adding that these concepts meet the urgent needs of the international community, and align with the purposes of the UN Charter.
China is willing to work with all countries, including Austria, to jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and an international order underpinned by international law, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, Wang said.
Sustaining healthy and stable China-EU relations is in the interests of both sides and their peoples and the current problems facing Europe do not come from China, Wang noted, underscoring that China supports Europe in seeking true strategic autonomy but opposes the mistaken idea of harming China's interests in exchange for deals. China hopes Austria will play a constructive role in encouraging Europe to pursue a rational and pragmatic policy toward China, Wang added.
Meinl-Reisinger, for her part, said Austria attaches great importance to its relations with China and unswervingly adheres to the one-China policy.
Since establishing the friendly strategic partnership, Austria and China have maintained sound cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral fields, with common interests continuing to expand. Austria looks forward to strengthening exchanges at all levels with China, enhancing people-to-people ties, and deepening practical cooperation in areas such as the green economy, Meinl-Reisinger said.
She also expressed gratitude for China's help to Austrian Jews during World War II, saying the two sides should jointly remember this valuable history.
The Austria-China panda cooperation project has become the latest symbol of friendship, and Austria welcomes more Chinese tourists to visit, she said.
Austria welcomes the Global Governance Initiative, supports open, law-based and equal free trade, and opposes the dominance of the "law of the jungle," she said, adding that the country upholds the authority of the United Nations and multilateralism.
Meinl-Reisinger also noted Austria's willingness to actively promote constructive dialogue between Europe and China and facilitate the healthy development of relations between the two sides.
During their talks, the two ministers also exchanged views on issues of common concern including Ukraine, the Middle East and climate change. Enditem
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