Jan. 9

BEIJING -

edited by | Hue Gey

 Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Monday

held phone conversations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin respectively.

The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has maintained high-level development, exchanges and cooperation in various fields have been deepened, and the popular support for bilateral friendship has been continuously consolidated, Qin said.

He said China-Russia relations are based on the principle of non-alignment, non-confrontation, and non-direction at the third party, noting that China is ready to work with Russia to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state and continuously push forward the two countries relations.

During phone talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Qin said China and Pakistan enjoy a special friendship and high-level mutual trust, and the close high-level interactions between the two countries have injected a strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations.

China is ready to work with Pakistan to take the important consensus between leaders of the two countries as guidance, continuously deepen their traditional friendship, and join hands to forge an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, he noted.

Qin stressed that as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching, China pays close attention to the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan, and hopes that Pakistan will continue to take effective security measures.

When talking with Park, Qin said China and South Korea are close neighbors that will always live next to each other and partners that cannot be separated, adding that the sound and steady development of China-South Korean relations serves the common interests of the two countries and is the general direction that both sides are continuously working for.

Qin said he would like to forge and maintain a good working relationship with Park and jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two countries heads of state.

He noted that he stands ready to focus on the current situation while taking a long-term perspective, grasp the overall friendly situation, and rally cooperation forces, so as to push for the steady and long-term development of China-South Korea relations.

Qin also expressed concerns about the recent temporary restrictions taken by South Korea on arrivals from China and voiced his hope that South Korea would uphold an objective and scientific attitude.

The three foreign ministers congratulated Qin on taking office as the Chinese foreign minister, extended new year greetings for the Year of the Rabbit to the Chinese people, and expressed their willingness to jointly implement the important high-level consensus and work together to continuously promote new achievements in bilateral relations.

Zardari said Pakistan will spare no effort to protect the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions, and projects in Pakistan.

Park said South Korea is willing to strengthen cultural and people-to-people interactions and personnel exchanges between the two countries. ■