BEIJING, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) — China's top lawmaker Zhao Leji met separately in Beijing on Wednesday with President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne.
During his meeting with Mirziyoyev, Zhao, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), said that China-Uzbekistan relations have entered a golden period of rapid development under the strategic leadership of the two leaders. The two sides should implement the important consensus of the two leaders, consolidate political mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation, Zhao added.
China's NPC is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation at all levels with the Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional parliamentary organizations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and promote the development of bilateral relations, Zhao said said.
China and Central Asian countries share deep historical origins and extensive practical needs, Zhao added, pointing out that China is willing to work with Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries to build a closer community with a shared future.
Mirziyoyev said that Uzbekistan firmly adheres to the one-China principle, resolutely promotes cooperation with China in combating the “three evil forces” of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and is ready to deepen cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries and to continue to promote this, strengthen the role of bilateral friendship groups and promote closer relations between peoples.
During his meeting with Browne, Zhao pointed out that China and Antigua and Barbuda are sincere and trusting good friends. Under the leadership of the leaders of both countries, traditional friendship has deepened and practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results.
China is willing to continue to support each other on issues affecting each other's core interests, jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and advance the friendly and cooperative relations between China and Antigua and Barbuda to a higher level lift, Zhao added.
China's NPC is willing to maintain communication and exchanges at multiple levels and channels with the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda to provide a solid legal guarantee for bilateral cooperation in various fields, Zhao said. He added that China stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Antigua and Barbuda on multilateral occasions, deepen cooperation on climate change and global environmental policy, and jointly protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
Browne said the relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and China is a model for equal cooperation between large and small countries. Antigua and Barbuda firmly adheres to the one-China principle, highly appreciates China's series of global cooperation initiatives to support countries with common development, and hopes to continuously consolidate and deepen bilateral friendly relations, he added. End