TIRANA, Oct. 29 – With China’s foreign minister in Albania as part of a regional tour, Tirana and Beijing have expressed their mutual will to expand economic, trade and cultural ties — in addition to increasing diplomatic and political exchanges.
That’s according to a press release by Albania’s foreign ministry, following a meeting of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Ji with his host counterpart, Albanian Foreign Minister Olta Xhaçka.
A special part during the talks was dedicated to the exchange of views on cooperation in the UN Security Council, where Albania will sit for a two-year term during 2022-2023 and where China is a permanent member.
“We have the full willingness to cooperate closely with the People’s Republic of China on all those issues where we share common positions and interests, by recognizing at the same time the role of China in the global arena,” Minister Xhaçka said.
Talks further focused on bilateral cooperation and opportunities for their further development in areas of mutual interest, focusing on economic and cultural cooperation, the fight against pandemics and cooperation in the field of health, as well as cooperation within regional initiatives.
The visit also coincides with the 50th anniversary of People’s Republic of China return to the UN, for which Albania played a historically helpful role, which has “the gratitude of the Chinese government and its people,” according to the Albanian foreign ministry statement.
Minister Wang Yi’s visit is the first by a chief diplomat of China since 2011.
He also held a meeting with Albanian President Ilir Meta, the presidency said on its website.
The visit to Albania was part of a wider tour with stops in Serbia, Greece and Italy.
It comes as relations between the West and China have continued to deteriorate, and Albania has taken several steps to follow the U.S. and European Union leads in relations with China.
China has also seen some of its investments in Albania not perform well, leading to withdrawals, such as the recent sale of the Tirana International Airport management concession from a Chinese firm to an Albanian one.
According to an expert at the Albanian Institute for International Studies, Albania needs to pay closer attention to its relations with China, the same way Paris, Berlin and Rome do.
