Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides Wednesday reiterated that his government will stick to the "One China" policy.

There is only one China on the world, namely the People's Republic of China, Clerides stressed.

The president made the remarks while meeting with China's deputy minister of foreign affairs, Ji Peiding, who arrived here for a four-day official visit.

Clerides expressed satisfaction with the level of bilateral relations and hoped for further developing cooperation at international fora.

Referring to the Cyprus issue, Clerides said he appreciates Chinese government's position on the issue. China is a big country and a permanent member of U.N. Security Council, he said, hoping China would play a greater role in helping find a settlement to the Cyprus issue.

Ji said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 30 years ago, Sino-Cypriot ties have been developing constantly.

He said the Chinese government is willing, together with Cyprus government, to make efforts for further cooperation in international organizations.

According to an official of the Chinese delegation, Ji also pointed out that Cyprus' independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and its non-aligned status should be respected.

"The Cyprus issue should be solved on the basis of relevant U.N. resolutions," he stressed.

Cyprus, a Mediterranean island, has remained divided into the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of the island after a short-lived coup seeking union with Greece.

The U.N. has been trying for decades to reunite the island through a bizonal bicommunal federation formula, but so far no tangible results have been achieved.

On Tuesday, Ji called on Cyprus' Parliament President Spyros Kyprianou and Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides. Later he held talks with permanent secretary of Cyprus foreign ministry Michalis Attalides.

(People’s Daily 10/26/2000)