Cyprus-China: ‘Trusted friends and partners for decades’

“Cyprus considers China as an important and true friend, and together we are committed to facilitating cooperation in the political, social and economic and trade fields. Our strong bilateral ties are based on the common values that Cyprus and China share, on the mutual understanding we have developed on various regional and international issues, as well as on the close cooperation we have established in an array of areas.
“My visit to China in October 2015, where I had very productive discussions with President Xi Jinping, and the visit to Cyprus in December of the same year by the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, have both provided a new momentum to exploring new fields of cooperation, in particular economic cooperation.
“Cyprus has its doors open to Chinese companies eager to invest and develop their operations and offers very attractive benefits and opportunities for Chinese companies to establish their activities and production units in Cyprus.
“To this end, tangible opportunities exist for Chinese investors in a variety of economic sectors, such as shipping, marinas, golf courses, medical and health centres, the tourism and hospitality industry, education and the energy sector.
“In the last century China has succeeded to evolving into one of the world’s largest economies and has become a global player. Today, the “One Road, One Belt” initiative is a prime example of China’s role as a major player in global governance, aiming to promote regional economic cooperation, connecting East Asia and Europe, strengthening exchanges and mutual understanding between different civilizations, and also promoting world peace and development.
“In this capacity, Cyprus can be an active player in promoting the values of the Silk Road Initiative. As a member of the European Union and an international maritime power, Cyprus stands ready to cooperate closely with our Chinese, Asian and European partners in effectively supporting this initiative and especially in successfully promoting the aims and values of the Silk Maritime Road as a key transit island of the Silk Road Maritime Trade Routes.
“While our country is currently at a critical juncture in the negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem, I take this opportunity to thank once more the Chinese government for its long-standing support in the efforts to achieve a comprehensive and viable settlement to the Cyprus problem, based on the UN Security Council resolutions and the EU values and principles.
“On December 1, in order to preserve the momentum of the negotiation process and in order to establish that negotiations would continue from the point they were left off, in Mont Pelerin, it was agreed that an intensive and substantive discussion on all pending issues will take place and the Turkish Cypriot side has committed itself to submit a map on the issue of Territory on January 11 in Geneva.
“Progress on the above issues will allow us to come within reach of an agreement by creating the conditions and prospects for a successful conclusion during the discussion of the fundamental issue of security and guarantees in a multilateral Conference, on January 12, in Geneva, to be convened with the added participation of the guarantor powers, as well as other relevant parties as needed. To this end, we do believe that the permanent members of the Security Council should be present at the conference.
“In this respect, we do count on People’s Republic of China presence and support at the said conference.
“The genuine friendship between Cyprus and China has withstood the test of time, with resounding success and tangible results. As we celebrate the 45 years of our cooperation, we look to the future with hope and many aspirations.”