China's top legislator Zhao Leji and Marcus Stephen, speaker of the Nauru Parliament, held talks in Beijing on Tuesday, with both sides agreeing to strengthen exchange and communication between the national legislatures of the two countries.
Stephen is leading a delegation to visit China from Nov 30 to Dec 6 at the invitation of Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.
At the meeting, Zhao recalled that Nauru made the decision in January to adhere to the one-China principle and restore diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China. Following the restoration of diplomatic ties, President Xi Jinping and Nauruan President David Adeang held talks during the latter's visit to China, reaching an important consensus on the future of China-Nauru relations.
China is willing to work with Nauru, guided by the important consensus reached by the two leaders, to forge a bright future for bilateral relationship, Zhao said.
Zhao expressed his hope and confidence that Nauru will continue to uphold the one-China principle and firmly support China's efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, while opposing Taiwan separatist activities.
China welcomes Nauru's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and is willing to deepen practical cooperation, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, enhance multilateral collaboration, and jointly promote implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi, Zhao said.
He stressed that the NPC of China is willing to maintain the positive momentum of high-level exchanges with the Parliament of Nauru, expand matching exchanges, improve the legal documents conducive to practical cooperation between the two countries, strengthen collaboration in multilateral mechanisms such as the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, and keep enriching the content of exchanges and cooperation between the national legislative bodies of the two countries.
Zhao also highlighted China's achievements in green development and said that the national legislatures of the two countries can share experience in environmental legislation and oversight to contribute to joint efforts in addressing climate change.
For his part, Stephen said the right decision Nauru made to restore diplomatic ties with China is a historic event in the development of bilateral relations.
Nauru firmly adheres to the one-China principle and actively supports and participates in the Belt and Road Initiative and the three global initiatives, he noted.
The Parliament of Nauru is ready to strengthen exchanges with the NPC of China, to play the role of a legislative body in consolidating political mutual trust and promoting sustainable development between the two countries, Stephen said.
China's top legislator holds talks with Nauru's parliament speaker
