On August 2, 2010, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi received exclusive interview of Xinhua News Agency and CCTV in San Jose, capital of Costa Rica, introducing his recent visit to Austria, Mexico, Cuba and Costa Rica and chairing of the fourth meeting of the China-Mexico Permanent Bi-national Commission. The text of questions and answers is as follows:

Q: Please tell us about your image of this visit to Austria. What is your expectation in the development of China-Austria relations?

A: I was deeply impressed by the visit which is my first official visit to Austria since I became foreign minister. I had an audience with President Heinz Fischer and Chancellor Werner Faymann respectively and held talks with Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger. The meetings and talks were friendly and pragmatic with focus on how to further promote bilateral cooperation in various fields.

When President Fischer visited China in January this year, leaders of both countries reached a wide range of consensuses on developing China-Austria relations. During my meeting with President Fischer, I reported to him that over the past half year those consensuses had been or were being implemented, the two sides maintained high-level exchanges, cooperation in such areas as infrastructure construction, new energy, environmental protection, civil aviation and tourism achieved new progress, Chinese trade and investment promotion mission visited Austria and enterprises of both countries signed a number of contracts. These tangible actions demonstrate the sincerity of China and Austria to jointly cope with the international financial crisis and push forward the development of bilateral trade. President Fischer was glad to hear that and said Austria hopes to strengthen friendly cooperation with China.

We both believe that China and Austria enjoy great potential of cooperation. The two sides should maintain high-level and other levels of exchanges and expand cooperation on infrastructure construction, water resource protection, energy efficiency and environmental protection and personnel training.

Cultural exchange is a major component of bilateral relations. I attended relevant activities of Austria's Salzburg art festival which enjoys high reputation. I expressed hope to the Austrian side that Chinese artistic groups might be invited to participate in Salzburg art festival in the future with the aim of enhancing mutual understanding of people of both countries. The Austrian side paid great attention to my proposal and extended welcome to Chinese artists.

Austria, as an important EU member and central and eastern European country as well as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, attaches importance to the communications and coordination with China on international issues. I exchanged in-depth views with the Austrian side on China-EU relations, Iranian nuclear issue and Korean Peninsula situation and found many common positions. We both indicated commitment to promoting the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations and agreed that related hot-spot issues should be resolved peacefully through negotiations and dialogue in order to maintain regional and world peace and stability.

By this visit, I feel that Austria has great enthusiasm and expectation in developing relations with China. Next year will be the 40th anniversary of China-Austria diplomatic ties and both sides will hold a series of celebrations. I believe China-Austria relations will enjoy greater development in the next 40 years.

Q: Please tell us about the significance of your visit to the three Latin American countries.

A: This is my first visit to Mexico, Cuba and Costa Rica as foreign minister. The visit aims at increasing understanding, consolidating friendship, expanding consensus, promoting cooperation and further boosting development of bilateral relations.

During the visit, my colleagues and I were received warmly by those countries. Their leaders met with me respectively and I held in-depth talks with their foreign ministers and contacted local friendly personnel widely. We exchanged sincere and in-depth opinions on the bilateral relations and the international and regional issues of common concern and reached a wide range of consensus.

China and Mexico are both important developing countries. To strengthen China-Mexico strategic partnership is not only beneficial to the common prosperity of both countries but also significant to increasing the solidarity and cooperation of developing countries and promoting world peace and development. I chaired the fourth meeting of the China-Mexico Permanent Bi-national Commission jointly with Mexican foreign minister. Government agencies of both countries discussed how to reinforce cooperation on politics, trade and economy, agriculture, science and technology, infrastructure construction, culture and education in a pragmatic and constructive spirit and signed the 2011-2015 Joint Action Plan as a new roadmap of bilateral medium and long-term cooperation.

China and Cuba are good friends, good comrades and good brothers. Cuba is the first Latin American country establishing diplomatic ties with China. The bilateral relations have withstood the tests of fluctuating international situation over the past 5 decades since the establishment of diplomatic ties and China-Cuba friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples. We both reiterated the need to firmly support each other on the major issues concerning national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and take the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of China-Cuba diplomatic ties to raise the bilateral friendly cooperation to a new level. Both sides will first of all maintain high-level exchanges and learn from each other, secondly broaden bilateral trade and investment and thirdly expand cultural exchanges and carry forward traditional friendship.

Although the history of China-Costa Rica diplomatic ties is not long, the bilateral relations have developed quickly. The two heads of state exchanged visit and bilateral trade increased instead of decreasing against the international financial crisis last year. In April this year, the two countries officially signed the free trade agreement which is the first free trade agreement China signs with a Central American country. I discussed deeply with Costa Rica side how to strengthen bilateral pragmatic cooperation and we agreed to expand trade, economic and investment cooperation and explore new cooperation in the fields of hydropower, clean energy and infrastructure construction, which will inject fresh energy into the long-term development of bilateral relations.

I also exchanged in-depth views with leaders and foreign ministers of the three countries on a number of major international and regional issues, including the international financial crisis, reform of international financial system, climate change and the UN Millennium Development Goals and we achieved a high degree of agreement.

China has identical position and interest with Mexico, Cuba and Costa Rica on the issue of climate change. We all believe that the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" should be pursued and developed countries should faithfully assume their historical and real responsibilities, take the lead in making significant emission reduction and fulfill commitment of providing developing countries with fund and technology. Developing countries should actively cope with climate change within the framework of sustainable development. We agreed to strengthen communications and coordination and make joint efforts with other parties concerned to move the climate change conference to be held in Cancun at the end of November a step further on the basis of Copenhagen agreement and achieve positive results so as to lay down a foundation for the South Africa conference next year. China is willing to continue to provide developing countries with assistance within the framework of South-South cooperation.

Q: Please tell us how you feel about this visit to Latin America. What is your opinion on the current China-Latin America relations and expectation in the future development of China-Latin America relations?

A: I was deeply impressed in the following aspects during the visit:

First, all Latin American countries have a long-term perspective and seek development. Mexico is working hard to overcome the impact of international financial crisis on its economy. Cuba is committed to building and developing socialism and improving people's living standard. Costa Rica is formulating a new comprehensive economic stimulus strategy and enjoys great potential of development.

Second, all Latin American countries strongly advocate strengthening solidarity and cooperation of developing countries. With ever increasing strength, Latin American countries have become a force to be reckoned with on the international arena. Latin American integration process is accelerating and at the same time Latin American countries' cooperation with other regional emerging powers is being strengthened. During the visit, I exchanged in-depth views with the three countries on some major international issues and we reached consensus to step up coordination and collaboration, jointly seek equal right of developing countries in international affairs and better maintain and promote our common interest.

Third, Latin American countries clearly show greater desire of developing friendly and cooperative relations with China. China and Latin American countries enjoy profound traditional friendship. Under the new situation, both sides share more common interest and common language. Latin American countries attach importance to China's development from a strategic angle and want to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China in both bilateral and international affairs. During my visit, Mexico, Cuba and Costa Rica proposed many constructive opinions and suggestions on deepening and expanding cooperation with China.

China-Latin America relations have developed rapidly in recent years. Both sides maintain frequent high-level exchanges and enjoy deep political mutual trust and fruitful pragmatic cooperation. Our annual trade volume has approached US$150 billion and China is the second largest trade partner of Latin America. We have more common interest in international affairs and keep sound coordination and collaboration. China's relations with major regional organizations of Latin America develop continuously, the connotation of multilateral cooperation is getting richer and to strengthen the all-round China-Latin America cooperation is becoming a common aspiration of both sides.

The Chinese government released its policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean in November 2008, showing that we treat the relations with Latin America from a strategic height and expect to become a good partner and a good friend of Latin American countries, which is positively responded by Latin American countries. China-Latin America relations have entered into a new stage of comprehensive, multi-level and extensive development and enjoy a promising future.

As an important part of South-South cooperation, China-Latin America cooperation focuses on equality and mutual trust and aims at mutual benefit and common development. Under the current international situation, to strengthen China-Latin America cooperation helps improve the overall strength of developing countries, facilitates developing countries' efforts of seeking rational development interest and drives the development of international political and economic order in a more fair and reasonable direction. China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with Latin American countries, learn from each other, meet challenges together and contribute to maintaining world peace and promoting common development.