BEIJING, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- China and the Solomon Islands on Saturday signed a joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations. It is a decision of mature consideration, based on the two peoples' will and the two countries' mutual benefits, and reflects the growing consensus about the one-China principle.
According to the communique, the South Pacific nation recognizes that there is but one China in the world, that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.
This much anticipated move further proves that consensus about the one-China principle is growing in the mainstream international community, in spite of the checkbook diplomacy exerted by the Taiwan authorities. Just as China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said earlier, neither principles nor trust can be bought.
Following the Solomon Islands, Kiribati also severed its so-called "diplomatic ties" with the Taiwan authorities. The Chinese philosopher Mencius once said, "A just cause attracts much support, an unjust one finds little." A noble man gains respect from others on merit. So does a country.
China has always been pursuing a type of relations that are mutually beneficial for both sides, and facts speak louder than words.
In an interview with an Australian National University expert earlier this month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said China would be able to provide support without having to defer to other nations.
The Solomon Islands abounds with natural resources. Considering this, however, it is far less developed than it could be. Development is the key to prosperity. China helps where the Solomon Islands truly needs it, without any political pressure or interference in its interal affairs.
China's amity with the Solomon Islands is a microcosm of that with Pacific island countries. China and eight Pacific island countries last November agreed to elevate their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development.
Panama serves as a prime example. In 2017 it established formal diplomatic relations with China. Since then, bilateral trade has developed fast. The number of Chinese travelers to Panama rose by a significant 40 percent in 2018, compared with the year before.
China also maintains that all countries are equal regardless of their sizes, respects the rights of the peoples in Pacific island countries to choose their own development paths, and respects the countries' efforts to achieving common development and equal participation in international and regional affairs.
Sogavare has said earlier that the decision to establish diplomatic ties with China is everything but hasty. Both countries have seized the moment. At the new point for bilateral ties, China and the Solomon Islands will surly become another epitome of win-win cooperation with mutual benefits.