Xi vows to further boost Cyprus ties

Chinese leader stands ready to push for more productive strategic partnership

President Xi Jinping pledged on Wednesday to work with his Cypriot counterpart to promote a more productive China-Cyprus relationship that serves the benefits of their peoples as he congratulated Nikos Christodoulides on assuming office as the president of the country.

China and Cyprus have been deepening political mutual trust and advancing exchanges and collaboration in various fields, with their friendship growing ever stronger, Xi said.

Xi said he holds in high regard the development of bilateral relations and stands ready to work with Christodoulides to push for more outcomes of the China-Cyprus strategic partnership so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples.

In a phone conversation between Xi and then Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades in 2021 the two heads of state jointly decided to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership upon the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

In recent decades the two countries have always understood and supported each other and achieved progress in promoting political mutual trust, practical collaboration in various areas and coordination in multilateral organizations, among others.

The value of trade between China and Cyprus was $1.2 billion last year, 34.3 percent more than in 2021, the General Administration of Customs said.

Christodoulides, 49, was sworn in on Tuesday as his country's president, promising that finding a solution to the long-lasting Cyprus issue will be his top priority.

The swearing-in ceremony in a special session of parliament marked the beginning of his five-year presidency, after he won a runoff election with 52 percent of the vote on Feb 12.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn