China fully supports Cyprus taking an active role internationally, through the joint implementation of a Chinese global initiative to promote trust among civilisations, the country’s ambassador said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Cyprus Forum in Nicosia, ambassador Yundong Yang said Cyprus upholds the same values as China, such as multilateralism and UN principles, and has a “very important role in the region”.

The ambassador also said Cyprus and China, celebrating 55 years of diplomatic relations, had built a relationship based on trust.

“We support each other on issues of concern. Cyprus is committed to support the One China policy. We are committed to support Cyprus’ efforts to maintain its security and territorial independence,” he said.

He also referred to the role Cyprus played in evacuations from conflict areas and in providing humanitarian assistance, which gained it international respect.

Cyprus, he added, is a “safe harbour” in the Mediterranean and a “very popular tourist destination”.

Referring to China’s global initiative, presented last year, the ambassador said “we would like to implement it together.”

He furthermore said there were many opportunities for trade, with China having the “second largest import market for 17 consecutive years”.

“We have a 1.4 billion population, 400 million people with middle income. It is a promising market. For the first five months of 2026, China’s imports increased by 20 per cent, faster than China’s exports,” he said.

He added that China’s service sector is also growing fast, with a 65 per cent increase in last five years, while outbound tourism and students studying abroad also recorded increases.

In the technology sector, “China has built all necessary facilities for high-tech companies,” the ambassador said.

Addressing the EU’s security concerns on Chinese investments in European infrastructure, the ambassador said China always respected every country’s security concerns.

He gave the example of the investment in Piraeus port in Greece, saying that Chinese investments transformed it into a modern port – one of the largest in the Mediterranean – climbing from 90th worldwide to 25th.

“Cooperation with China does not bring negative effects. It benefits the local economy, it generates employment,” he said.