Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his counterparts from Argentina, Chile and the Netherlands on Sunday during the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Argentina, in an attempt to strengthen bilateral trade and cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Xinhua News Agency reported.
Wang Yi recognized the positive momentum in the development of Sino-Argentinian ties and the steady growth in bilateral trade. He also expressed China's resolute support for Argentina's safeguarding of its financial and economic stability.
Argentinian Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie praised China as a significant force in the international arena. To expand its agricultural exports to China, everything is possible if you work with China, Faurie said. Regarding the collaboration in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the top Argentinian diplomat said his country hopes enhance cooperation with China in energy, mining and tourism.
In meeting with Chilean Foreign Minister Roberto Ampuero, Wang Yi said the two distant countries have been closely connected by free trade agreements and open-minded ideas. China is willing to combine the BRI with Chile's own investment plans, pushing forward the cooperation in infrastructure building and connectivity, Wang said.
Ampuero echoed Wang by saying his country valued China's stance on upholding free trade and constructing an open world economy, which is also an important aspect of Chile's foreign policy. The Chilean foreign minister said he expected the BRI to be extended into Latin America, while welcoming more Chinese investment into Chile.
When speaking with his Dutch counterpart Stef Blok, Wang Yi said that, as a European Union (EU) country, the Netherlands is an important partner for China. He said the visit to China by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Prime Minister Mark Rutte not long ago laid the groundwork for a new blueprint for the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.
For his part, Blok also emphasized his country's willingness to reinforce cooperation with China on the BRI and improve communication with China over major international issues.
During their meeting, Wang also reaffirmed the Chinese stance on the trade frictions between China and the US, saying that resolving this issue through dialogue is in the interests of peoples from both countries. China will continue supporting multilateralism and a system based on the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Wang stressed.
