Wang: China welcomes Colombia to Belt and Road family

China welcomes Colombia to join the Belt and Road family at an early date and would like to strengthen strategic alignment and share development opportunities with the Latin American country to accelerate modernization, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday when meeting with Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo.

Upholding the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the Belt and Road Initiative adheres to high standards and focuses on improving people's livelihoods, Wang said.

It has become one of the most popular international public initiatives and the largest platform for global cooperation, he said.

On the Taiwan question, Wang emphasized that the island is part of the Chinese territory, and the question will ultimately be resolved.

China appreciates Colombia's long-standing adherence to the one-China principle and is willing to continue supporting each other in safeguarding core interests, he added.

China is ready to strengthen trade cooperation and expand ties with Colombia in areas such as infrastructure, green development, clean energy, 5G and artificial intelligence to achieve green and sustainable development, the foreign minister said.

He said that China encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest in Colombia, and at the same time, it welcomes more high-quality Colombian products to enter the Chinese market.

The foreign minister expressed support for Colombia's rotating presidency as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, saying that China would like to communicate with Colombia to jointly advance China-Latin America cooperation, and assisting in the development and vitalization of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Murillo, who is on a four-day visit to China starting from Wednesday, expressed gratitude to China's support for Colombia's peace process and development transformation, saying he hopes to learn from China's experiences in poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and people-centered governance.

Colombia attaches great importance to and is willing to actively participate in the BRI, so as to bring greater benefits to its people, he said.

On the Taiwan question, Murillo emphasized that Colombia will continue to firmly uphold the one-China principle and support China's legitimate position.