Day: August 4, 2022

PHNOM PENH, Aug 4 (NNN-XINHUA) – China and Greece pledged here yesterday, to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly work for better bilateral relations, for the next 50 years.

While meeting with Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, said, it has been 50 years since China and Greece established diplomatic relations.

As friends of mutual respect and mutual trust and partners of win-win cooperation, both China and Greece have demonstrated their responsibility of ancient civilisations, pushed for further and solid development of their comprehensive strategic partnership, and contributed to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang said.

Wang hoped that the two countries could continue to promote strategic mutual trust, support each other’s legitimate demands and consolidate the political foundation for the development of bilateral ties, so as to work for better bilateral relations for the next 50 years.

Both China and Greece stand for upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, safeguarding international order, based on international law, and putting true multi-lateralism into practice, said Wang.

China appreciates Greece for taking an objective and friendly view of China’s development and revitalisation, and for upholding justice in international affairs, hoping that Greece will continue to play a constructive role in promoting healthy and stable development of China-European relations, he said.

For his part, Dendias said, with mutual respect and understanding, Greece and China have successfully established a comprehensive strategic partnership and witnessed sustained development of pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

Greece is willing to continue to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China, expand exports to China and welcome investment by Chinese companies, he said, adding, his country will remain committed to pushing for sound and steady development.

Wang said, China is ready to work with Greece to advance a three-year cooperation plan, expand cooperation in such areas as transportation, energy, communications, finance, green and digital economy, advance the key Belt and Road projects, produce high-level achievements of cooperation among civilisations, and increase more direct flights between the two countries in an orderly manner.

China stands ready to share development and market opportunities and encourage Chinese companies to invest in Greece, and hopes the Greek side will provide a sound business environment, he added.

Wang also elaborated on China’s firm position on the Taiwan question.

Source: Nam News Network

JAKARTA, Aug 4 (NNN-ANTARA) – Indonesia emphasised the importance of strengthening institutional capacity and effectiveness of ASEAN in dealing with health and food security issues, said the country’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, yesterday.

“Health challenges will remain in the future, therefore, ensuring ASEAN’s readiness to address current and future health challenges is very important,” Marsudi said, at the plenary session of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Existing regional mechanisms must be fully utilised, including accelerating operations and ensuring the availability of funds for the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergency and Emerging Diseases, which will have centres in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. she added.

Regarding food security, Indonesia submitted concept notes on the importance of strengthening the ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan, and South Korea) Emergency Rice Reserve Agreement, to propose the number of earmarked rice stocks and the addition of other types of food commodities.

Furthermore, Indonesia emphasised the importance of continuing to mainstream women, peace, and security issues in the ASEAN work agenda, and expressed its hope to expedite the process of Timor-Leste’s membership in the regional organisation.

Source: Nam News Network

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug 4 (NNN-ANN) – Brunei is looking forward to welcoming more foreign direct investment (FDI) from China in all sectors, Haji Khairuddin, the country’s deputy minister of finance and economy, said here yesterday.

When delivering his keynote speech at the Brunei-China Trade and Economic Forum, Haji Khairuddin said that, this forum was timely as “we celebrate the elevation of ASEAN and China’s dialogue relations, to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

“Over the years, Brunei and China have worked closely, to build a partnership that benefits our people and covers many areas, including trade and investment,” he told the forum.

“Brunei values China’s participations in various sectors, such as logistics, aquaculture, downstream oil and gas and banking services, as not only do they contribute to the creation of employment and GDP of this country, they also become an important contributor to our economic diversification effort,” Haji Khairuddin said.

According to the deputy minister, China continues to be one of Brunei’s top trading partners and largest investors.

“This positive trend reflects the importance we accord to our trade ties with China and its contribution to Brunei’s economic growth and development,” he said.

“The Brunei government is stepping up efforts to diversify its economy, away from the oil and gas sector to other sectors such as food, downstream oil and gas, tourism, services and information and communications technology, and we continue to welcome FDI from China to invest in these sectors,” Haji Khairuddin said.

“Efforts are underway in enhancing the already business-friendly environment for FDI, and we encourage further business and investment collaboration between Brunei and China,” he concluded.

Source: Nam News Network

JAKARTA, Aug 4 (NNN-ANTARA) – The administration of the Indonesian island of Batam, said yesterday, its target for international tourists by the end of 2022, could exceed one million.

The number of international tourist arrivals in Batam, which is situated close to neighbouring countries, Singapore and Malaysia, continued to increase every month, following ease of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Head of Batam’s Culture and Tourism Agency, Ardiwinata, said that, in 2019, the island received 1.9 million foreign tourists. “We hope this year’s visits will rise, hopefully, to more than one million.”

Over the first half of this year, visitors from Singapore and Malaysia topped the number of visits to Batam, with about 22,600 and about 4,700 respectively, followed by India with about 2,200.

“Events are the fastest way to bring in foreign tourists, and can increase the length of their stay,” Ardiwinata said, adding that, infrastructure development in Batam also plays a role in attracting more tourists.

“Many new tourist destinations are also being prepared,” he said.–

Source: Nam News Network