Statement of the President of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, Mr. Andreas Vyras, on the occasion of his meeting with the Chinese Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires, Mr. Zhou

The President of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, Mr. Andreas Vyras, was honored to receive today in his office the Chinese Embassy’s Charge d’ Affaires, Mr. Zhou, for a courtesy meeting.

Mr. Vyras conveyed his sincere gratitude to the People’s Republic of China for the strong longstanding ties between Cyprus and China and especially for the recent opportunity to attend a seminar on “China – Cyprus: Modern Urban Development and Management” in Beijing and Guangzhou last November. The Cypriot delegation was composed by 12 Mayors, the President of the Union of Cyprus Communities, the Chairmen of the Limassol and Larnaca District Local Government Organizations, 9 Municipal Secretaries, and 3 executives from the Union of Cyprus Municipalities.

As the Union of Cyprus Municipalities’ President mentioned, the seminar was particularly interesting and fruitful for the participants, as the activities carried out within its framework led to synergies and collaborations between Cypriot local authorities and Chinese entities.

Both Mr. Zhou and Mr. Vyras agreed that, despite the significant difference in size between China and Cyprus, the two states can be strategic partners. China is an international development giant, and Cyprus serves as the gateway to Europe and the Middle East. Hence, collaboration can and should be fostered in various fields.

Within this framework, Mr. Vyras reaffirmed that the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, in its capacity as the national association of Cypriot Municipalities, firmly supports the “One China Policy” and therefore does not foster any contact with the central or local government authorities of Taiwan. The Union of Cyprus Municipalities firmly stands in favor and actively promotes the respect of international law and state sovereignty and opposes any effort to undermine these basic guiding principles.

Both men have expressed their commitment and hope for the continuation and reinforcement of the relations between Cyprus and China.

 

Union of Cyprus Municipalities
21 May 2026