UPDATE - China, Norway agree to work 'closely' to safeguard multilateralism, free trade

UPDATES WITH CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER'S MEETING WITH CANADIAN COUNTERPART; EDITS THROUGH

​​​​​​​By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL(AA) - China and Norway have agreed to work "closely" to deepen bilateral relations, as well as safeguard multilateralism and free trade, Chinese state media reported on Sunday.

The understanding was reached on Saturday during a meeting between China's top diplomat Wang Yi and his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Wang also urged Norway to play a "constructive" role in the stable development of relations between China and Europe.

China is ready to maintain close exchanges with Norway at all levels, deepen cooperation in various fields, and sustain the sound and stable momentum of ties, he stressed.

China and Norway should strengthen communication and coordination, as both support multilateralism and free trade, he added.

Multilateralism should not mean acting as one pleases, nor should multipolarity be dominated by a few major powers, Wang noted.

All parties, he further said, should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and safeguard the international system based on international law.

For his part, Eide said Norway attaches great importance to its relations with China and hopes to continuously strengthen dialogue and cooperation.

Norway is ready to work closely with China in multilateral mechanisms such as the World Trade Organization to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, he added.

Wang also met with his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand at the sidelines of the conference, Beijing-based Xinhua News reported.

China stands ready to work with Canada to promote the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of bilateral relations, he noted.

For her part, Anand said that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to China was very successful and has opened "a new era" in Canada-China relations.

Thanking Beijing for granting visa-free treatment to Canadian citizens, she expressed hope that the two sides will maintain close dialogue and cooperation, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, and promote the positive and steady development of bilateral relations.