Wang: China willing to elevate solidarity, friendship, co-op with Islamic world to new level

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that China stands ready to elevate the solidarity, friendship and cooperation with the Islamic world to a new level.

He made the remarks while meeting with the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hissein Brahim Taha in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, where Wang attended the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC.

Noting the OIC is a symbol of unity and independence of Islamic countries, Wang said it also serves as a bridge for China and Islamic world to grow relations.

China will provide an additional 300 million doses of vaccines to help Islamic countries fight pandemic, Wang said.

China will enhance bilateral cooperation in the education and training sector, and jointly hold the fifth seminar of the Chinese and Islamic civilization dialogue, Wang added.

Noting China and Islamic countries are all developing countries, Wang said the two sides share wide consensus in terms of enhancing South-South cooperation, championing multilateralism, opposing power politics and unilateral bullying as well as promoting democracy in international relations.

Wang vowed China would continue to stand with the Islamic countries to safeguard legitimate development rights and interests to increase common voice and strengthen positive energy in international community.

For his part, Taha welcomed Wang on behalf of the OIC's more than 50 member countries, saying Wang's attending the session will further boost bilateral relations.

Taha said the Islamic world appreciated China's efforts in helping Islamic countries fight the pandemic, providing assistance to least developed Islamic countries and the Islamic Development Bank.

He also thanked China for offering training to thousands of students from Islamic countries in Africa, and helping the continent enhance capacity for independent development.

Islamic countries hope to enhance political consultation with China, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade and finance to deliver more benefits to two peoples, Taha added.

It is the first time for a Chinese foreign minister to attend OIC foreign ministers' meeting as a special guest, which speaks volumes that Islamic countries fully recognize China's role as a major responsible country in the global arena, analysts said.

China and Islamic countries have always enjoyed sound relations in recent years featuring bilateral frequent exchanges and pragmatic cooperation, said Li Zixin, an assistant researcher of the China Institute of International Studies.

Wang's presence at the meeting further shows the strong desire of both sides to upgrade their cooperation, Li added.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative proposed by China are highly compatible with the development agendas of most Islamic countries, Li said, adding the two sides could bolster cooperation to make due contribution to global economic recovery and growth.

Wang Youming, director at Department for Developing Countries Studies with China Institute of International Studies, said it is imperative for Islamic countries to work with China to bolster all-round cooperation, as the world has entered a new stage of turbulence and transformation.

The Islamic world would realize that it is a right choice to cooperate with China, for the country is a practice of genuine multilateralism and an engine of global economic growth, he added.