Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Ian Borg, Malta's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, in Beijing, capital of China, July 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Ian Borg, Malta's deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs and tourism, in Beijing on Monday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that Malta plays a unique and positive role in world peace and stability.

China is willing to maintain high-level political mutual trust, mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual support with Malta, and will honor its commitments on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, Wang said.

Wang said that China will work with Malta to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, investment, culture and tourism, science and education, and continue to maintain good communication and coordination in international affairs.

On China-EU relations, Wang pointed out that the most important experience and enlightenment from the 50-year development of bilateral ties is that China-EU relations are positioned as partners rather than rivals, with a tone of dialogue and cooperation.

As the world's two major forces, civilizations and markets, China and the EU should understand, respect and appreciate each other, Wang said.

Wang called on the two sides to view the mutually beneficial and win-win essence of their relations with a developmental perspective, jointly promote the process of human civilization and maintain world peace and stability.

Borg stated that Malta highly values its relations with China, always take relations with China in its diplomatic priority, firmly adheres to the one-China principle, actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative, and welcomes more Chinese friends to visit Malta.

The Maltese side also believes that the EU and China should be partners rather than rivals, and differences should be properly resolved through dialogue and consultation, Borg said, expressing a willingness to continue playing an active role in promoting EU-China relations. ■

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Ian Borg, Malta's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, in Beijing, capital of China, July 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)