China’s top diplomat Wang Yi to push belt and road during visits to Indonesia, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea
- Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to the three countries this week as Beijing steps up diplomacy with Southeast Asia amid US rivalry
- China is a top trading partner and source of foreign investment to all three nations
During his six-day trip, Wang will join a high-level dialogue cooperation mechanism with Indonesia and attend a meeting of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Coordination Committee, ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
Lin referred to the three countries as “good friends and good partners” based on mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and shared development. He also praised the “strong momentum of development” of ties between China and the three countries.
Lin said China hoped Wang’s visit would help implement the consensus President Xi Jinping reached with the leaders of the three countries and carry out high-quality projects under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Wang’s trip comes as China steps up its diplomacy with Southeast Asian nations amid tightening strategic competition with the United States in the Asia-Pacific region.