China opposes using human rights, democracy as pretext to meddle in internal affairs: Top diplomat

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Beijing opposes interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights and democracy, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in his meeting with Tunisian President Kais Saied.

“We oppose imposing our own values ​​on others, transforming other countries according to our own standards, and interfering in internal affairs under the pretext of human rights and democracy,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Tuesday, quoting Wang as saying to Saied during his meeting in Tunis on Monday.

He said today's world is full of uncertainty and instability, and that unilateralism, power politics, and hegemony are still rampant.

Wang is in Tunisia as part of his Africa tour, which also includes Egypt, Togo, and the Ivory Coast. Later, he will travel to Latin America.

He said Beijing is “willing to strengthen unity and cooperation” with Tunisia as the two countries celebrate their 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

“The two countries have trusted each other and carried out mutually beneficial cooperation based on mutual trust and equal treatment,” the top Chinese diplomat noted.

Saied, for his part, expressed support for the one-China principle, saying Tunisia will continue to actively participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative, "learn from China's successful experience and promote modernization with Tunisian characteristics."

China supports Tunisia in “safeguarding sovereignty, independence and national dignity, exploring a development path in line with its own national conditions, and independently advancing the national reform process,” Wang told Saied.

“We stand ready to consolidate political mutual trust between the two sides, deepen cooperation in various fields, (and) accelerate respective development and revitalization," he added.

The two sides also discussed the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict.