[China and Cyprus]
In 2013, the relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Cyprus grew steadily, with increasing political trust and good progress in exchanges and cooperation across the board.
The two countries maintained close exchanges at the top and other levels. In September, President Xi Jinping sent birthday greetings to Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades. In the same month, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with President Anastasiades on the sidelines of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly. Vice Minister Luo Shugang of the CPC Department of Publicity, Vice Minister of Agriculture Niu Dun, Vice Minister of Culture and Director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage Li Xiaojie and Assistant Minister He Jun of the CPC International Department paid visits to Cyprus. Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism Yiorgos Lakkotrypis and Minister of Education and Culture Kyriakos Kenevezos visited China. Cypriot Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Egly Pantelakis attended a roundtable conference on agriculture cooperation between China and six southern European countries in Rome.
Party-to-party exchanges were strengthened. Averof Neofytou, President of the Democratic Rally of Cyprus, and Venizelos Zannetos, Secretary for Economic Issues of the Progressive Party of Working People, paid visits to China.
Economic ties grew steadily. China became the eighth largest export market and ninth largest source of imports for Cyprus.
Cooperation in culture and education was deepened. The two sides signed the Agreement of Cooperation to Prevent Theft, Clandestine Excavation and Illicit Import and Export of Cultural Goods. Consensus was reached on establishing a Confucius Institute in Cyprus.
Editor:Yaling
