President Xi Jinping shakes hands with visiting Honduran President Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento during a signing ceremony after their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. FENG YONGBIN / CHINA DAILY

China and Honduras have vowed to forge a partnership featuring mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development as the heads of state of both countries witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation agreements, including joint construction of the Belt and Road, in Beijing on Monday.

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During their historic meeting in Beijing, President Xi Jinping and visiting Honduran President Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento had an in-depth exchange of views on the prospects for bilateral ties and on international and regional issues of common concern, and they reached a broad consensus, according to a joint statement released after the meeting.

Xi held a grand welcoming ceremony for Castro before their talks at the Great Hall of the People. The ceremony included a review of the People"s Liberation Army Honor Guard by the two leaders and the firing of a 21-gun salute in Tian"anmen Square.

Castro is in Beijing for a six-day state visit to China that started on Friday. The visit came after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in March.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcoming ceremony for President of the Republic of Honduras Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento at the square outside the east entrance of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, June 12, 2023. Xi held talks with Castro, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Both sides agreed that the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Honduras on the basis of the one-China principle opens a new chapter in bilateral relations, and conforms to the trend of the times and the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples.

During their talks, Xi said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties, relations between China and Honduras have gotten off to a good and speedy start and enjoy great dynamism and broad prospects.

He stressed that the one-China principle is the primary premise and political foundation for the establishment and development of bilateral relations between China and Honduras. He expressed his hope that Honduras will faithfully implement this principle.

Castro said that the establishment of diplomatic relations with China is a historic decision made by the Honduran government that will go down in history. She assured Xi that Honduras would firmly support and abide by the one-China principle and support the efforts of the Chinese government to achieve national reunification.

Xi said China firmly supports Honduras in upholding its national sovereignty and independence, promoting development and improving its people"s well-being.

China supports Honduras in choosing a development path suited to its national conditions, and opposes any external forces interfering in Honduras" internal affairs, he said.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Honduras on state governance, share experiences in poverty alleviation, social governance and anti-corruption, and encourage all-around exchanges and cooperation between governments, legislatures, political parties and subnational sectors, Xi added.

Xi underlined the need for both countries to strengthen synergies between their development strategies and promote common development through joint building of the Belt and Road. China is willing to start negotiations with Honduras on a free-trade agreement as soon as possible, he said.

While calling for enhancing people-to-people exchanges to consolidate China-Honduras friendship, Xi said that China is willing to work with Honduras and other Latin American and Caribbean countries to promote comprehensive cooperation.

Castro hailed China"s achievements under the strong leadership of Xi, saying that the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, all put forward by Xi, will help build a more peaceful and secure world that meets the common aspirations of people around the globe.

The rapid progress of cooperation between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations has made Honduras confident about the future, Castro said, and her country wants to strengthen cooperation with China in such areas as trade, investment, infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges.

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