Vanuatu expected to establish special partnership with China's Hainan province, visiting Vanuatuan Prime Minister Ham Lini said Tuesday.

Lini made the remark when meeting Wu Changyuan, deputy governor of Hainan province. The prime minister arrived in Haikou, the capital city of the province, Monday evening.

Lini said after establishing sound political ties with China's central government, Vanuatu expected to push economic and cultural cooperation with local governments to a higher level.

Lini proposed setting up a special partnership and long-term cooperation with Hainan. Wu said the two sides would have exceptional cooperation prospect in agriculture and tourism because the province is most similar in terms of weather and natural conditions to the Pacific island country.

Lini began his China tour in Beijing on Feb. 24. There he met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and held talks with Premier Wen Jiabao. He is expected to wrap up his China tour on March 4.

Wen and Lini signed a joint statement, saying that Vanuatu reiterates its commitment to the one-China policy, and "reaffirms its opposition to any attempt to create 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan,' 'Taiwanese independence' or Taiwan's membership in international and regional organizations where statehood is required."

Vanuatu established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1982. Lini was elected Prime Minister of Vanuatu in December 2004.

Source: Xinhua