Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Jim Marurai on Tuesday met
with visiting Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on ways of further
strengthening bilateral cooperation, said reports reaching
Wellington from Avarua, the capital of the Cook Islands.
At the meeting, Li said the friendly cooperative relations had
developed continuously between China and the Cook Islands in the
fields of politics, trade and economy, and culture, along with
ever-deepening of mutual understanding and friendship.
China attaches great importance to the development of friendly
relations with the Cook Islands and is willing to work together
with the Cook Islands to further promote the ties, Li said.
Marurai said exchanges at all levels between his country and
China had been continuously strengthened and the bilateral
relations based on mutual benefit and cooperation had progressed
steadily.
He pointed out that China's support and aid had played a
positive role in his country's socio-economic development.
The Cook Islands is willing to increase exchanges and reinforce
cooperation with China in such fields as trade and economy,
tourism, and personnel training, he added.
Marurai reiterated that the government of the Cook Islands stuck
to the one-China policy.
During his stay on the Cook Islands, Li also held talks with
Foreign Minister of the Cook Islands Wilkie Rasmussen on the
development of bilateral relations, as well as regional and
international issues of common concern.
(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2006)
