BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that China is willing to provide assistance for Grenada's economic and social development within the framework of South-South cooperation.
The two countries should foster new highlights of cooperation in fields such as new energy, green and low-carbon development, and digital economy, Xi said in Beijing when he met with Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell, who is paying an official visit to China.
Mitchell first extended sincere sympathies and condolences to the Chinese government and people over the recent deadly earthquake in Dingri County in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.
Xi expressed his appreciation for that. Noting that the earthquake occurred in a high-altitude area, Xi said China has completed rescue and temporary resettlement work in the shortest possible time and will carry out reconstruction work as quickly as possible.
"The Chinese government is confident and capable of achieving success in earthquake relief," Xi said.
Xi noted that in recent years, China-Grenada relations have developed steadily, with the two sides treating each other with mutual respect and equality, consolidating political mutual trust, achieving fruitful results in practical cooperation in various fields, and deepening the friendship between the two peoples.
China is willing to work with Grenada to enhance the synergy of development strategies and push for more outcomes of bilateral cooperation to better benefit the two peoples, he added.
China supports Grenada in independently exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, and stands ready to strengthen exchanges of governance experience with Grenada, Xi said.
He said China also supports Grenada in enhancing its capacity in climate change response and disaster prevention and mitigation, and will continue to raise international awareness of small island countries' concerns over climate change and their demands.
China advocates an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and is ready to work with Grenada to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.
He added that China has always attached great importance to its relations with Caribbean countries and will continue to provide assistance within its capacity for the economic and social development of regional countries.
Mitchell expressed appreciation for China's timely assistance after Grenada was hit by a devastating hurricane in July last year.
Over the past 20 years, the Grenada-China relations have been continuously deepened, and Grenada firmly abides by the one-China principle and believes that China's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, Mitchell said.
He said Grenada, having benefited a lot from its relations with China, will continuously strengthen cooperation with China and learn from China's experience in governance.
Stressing China's leading role in the Global South, Mitchell said Grenada will stand firmly with China to implement the three major global initiatives and safeguard world peace and stability. ■