Adapt to the trend of the times, benefit the people of the region, and provide assistance to the region | China | Region
Alani, a demonstration household in Tonga, is picking a bountiful harvest of edible mushrooms in a mushroom greenhouse assisted by China.
Photo by our reporter Chen Xiaowei
On August 10th, doctors performed surgery on Vanuatu patients aboard the Chinese Navy's "Peace Ark" hospital ship.
Photo by Liu Wei
The main stadium for the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, which was built with Chinese assistance.
Photo by our reporter Chen Xiaowei
Several Pacific island country politicians recently stated in an interview with this newspaper that the cooperation between Pacific island countries and China conforms to the trend of the times, benefits the people of the region, and shows vigorous vitality.
Tonga Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Samuel Vaipulu——
"Whenever encountering difficulties, Chinese friends will lend a helping hand."
"What we deeply feel in China is that in order to develop, we must work hard and adhere to the principle of putting the people at the center." Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Samuel Vaipulu, has visited China multiple times, including Shanghai, Shandong, Guangdong, Shaanxi, and other places. In April this year, as the head of the 10th joint delegation of politicians from the Pacific island countries, he visited Fujian Province with political, party and government officials from seven Pacific island countries to further investigate China's agricultural and marine economic development, learn about China's specific practices in poverty alleviation and the experience and practices of the CPC in governance, governance capacity building and other aspects.
In Fuzhou, the inspection team gained a deep understanding of the development of the mushroom grass industry, as well as the economic value and planting techniques of various mushroom grass crops; In Xiamen, they conducted on-site inspections of the thriving aquaculture industry; In Ningde, they personally felt the efforts to promote poverty alleviation, ecological civilization construction and other aspects... Vaipulu said that the CPC has always adhered to the people centered development thought, took the people's aspiration for a better life as the goal of struggle, united and led the Chinese people to self-reliance and hard work, and achieved great development achievements, providing important reference for the development of Pacific island countries. "We need to bring back China's vivid experience of development, deepen cooperation with China in various fields, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results," said Vaipulu.
Vaipulu is a witness to the cooperation between Tonga and China. Many years ago, he participated in the signing of contracts for projects such as China's aid to Tonga's Wawau Island road renovation, Eva Island road renovation, and upgrading of the main island trunk road. He said that with the signing of the "the Belt and Road" cooperation document between Tonga and China in November 2018, the practical cooperation between the two sides in various fields has continued to expand, and Tonga's national road reconstruction projects have been implemented in succession. In the same year, the National Health Commission of China dispatched its first medical team to Tonga. The medical team has entered the community and schools to carry out free clinics, making positive contributions to benefiting the local people and improving the diagnosis and treatment level of Tonga hospitals.
"We feel fortunate that whenever we encounter difficulties, our Chinese friends will lend a helping hand," said Vaipulu. Climate change is a common challenge facing countries around the world, and Pacific island countries are one of the regions most severely threatened by climate change. In January 2022, Tonga volcano erupted and caused serious disasters such as tsunamis. China provided Tonga with various forms of assistance and provided the first batch of relief materials received after the disaster. In April 2022, the China Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center was officially launched, and China also signed five project documents with Pacific Island countries on South South cooperation material aid to address climate change.
"Thank you very much for China's long-term support and assistance. Tonga attaches great importance to its relationship with China and hopes that we can continue to deepen our comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development, and contribute to a better tomorrow," said Vaipulu.
Bradley Tovocia, Deputy Leader of the Solomon Islands ruling party "Our Party"——
"Strengthen cooperation and promote regional prosperity and development"
"The continuous deepening of relations with China has brought valuable development opportunities to the Solomon Islands, and cooperation in various fields has brought tangible benefits to the people." Bradley Tovocia, Deputy Leader of the Solomon Islands' ruling party "Our Party" and Minister of Mining, Energy, and Rural Electrification, stated that the Solomon Islands have abundant resources, China has a huge market and advanced technology, and the cooperation between the two sides is highly complementary. The areas of cooperation are constantly expanding, and the friendship between the people is constantly deepening.
In September 2019, China and Solomon Islands officially established diplomatic relations. In October, the two countries signed a cooperation document on jointly building the "the Belt and Road". This year, the 2023 Pacific Games Sports Stadium and other facilities built with China's assistance were successfully completed and delivered. "The high-quality completion of the sports stadium project by the Chinese builders is of great significance for the Solomon Islands' preparation for the Pacific Games." Tovosia introduced that other projects such as the Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital Comprehensive Medical Center, which China has assisted in building, are also progressing smoothly. In addition, Solomon Islands is actively carrying out international cooperation in natural disaster prevention and emergency management with China under the framework of jointly building the "the Belt and Road".
Solomon Islanders often say that development has no end, only a new starting point. What exactly does a new starting point mean? Tovoscia found the answer from China's development: "People centered development has brought endless vitality, enabling China to constantly stand at a new starting point and move forward." Tovoscia said that the CPC has always been committed to making people live a better life, and has united and led the Chinese people out of the path of Chinese path to modernization. Chinese path to modernization has created a new picture of modernization mode and provided a new choice for Pacific island countries.
"We hope to further strengthen cooperation with China and promote regional prosperity and development," said Tovosia. The Solomon Islands admire China's modernization achievements, and China has always actively shared development experience and concepts with Pacific island countries. We hope that Pacific island countries can make good use of these valuable experiences and achieve their own modernization as soon as possible.
Tovosia believes that China's proposal to build a community with a shared future for mankind, as well as global development initiatives, global security initiatives, and global civilization initiatives, has contributed valuable Chinese wisdom to achieving world peace and development. Especially the Global Security Initiative, adhering to the concept of a security community, is committed to working together with countries to address traditional and non-traditional security challenges, injecting more stability and certainty into the turbulent and changing world, and providing important guarantees for achieving lasting world peace and development. "We value the important role of global security initiatives and hope to engage in more in-depth cooperation with China," said Tovosia.
Lunbo Paita, Minister of Finance and Implementation and Minister of National Planning of Papua New Guinea——
"Let the path of friendly cooperation become wider and wider."
"No country is an isolated island. We are interconnected and interdependent, and we need to constantly strengthen cooperation and share development achievements." Renbo Paita, a member of the Pangu Party, Minister of Finance and Executive Affairs, and Minister of National Planning of Papua New Guinea, said that in the more than 40 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Papua New Guinea and China, both sides have always respected and treated each other equally. The friendship between the two sides has been deepening, and the fruits of cooperation have truly benefited the people of both countries.
In 1997, a Chinese expert group was invited by the government of Papua New Guinea's East Highland Province to establish a demonstration site for mushroom and grass technology in Lufa District, East Highland Province. Nowadays, mushroom grass cultivation has expanded to 8 provinces and 16 districts in Papua New Guinea, helping tens of thousands of people escape poverty. "Fungal grass cultivation is a successful practice in which China has applied its poverty reduction and poverty alleviation experience to global sustainable development. China has helped countries such as Papua New Guinea achieve increased production and income by promoting this technology." Paita said that Papua New Guinea is proud to be the first stop for Chinese fungal grass to go global, and looks forward to more Papua New Guinea students learning fungal grass technology in China and continuing to deepen cooperation with China in this field.
Payta introduced that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the initiative of jointly building the "the Belt and Road". PNG is the first Pacific island country to sign the cooperation document of jointly building the "the Belt and Road" with China. Under the framework of the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", Chinese enterprises have helped PNG build power grids, roads, ports and other infrastructure, as well as a series of people benefiting projects such as the Butuka School Park and the Nga Provincial Hospital, which have been completed or put into use, creating conditions for the development of countries and regions jointly built, including the Pacific island countries. "Chinese companies hire a large number of local personnel when undertaking important projects in Papua New Guinea, creating a considerable number of high-quality employment opportunities for Papua New Guinea," said Paita.
"Development is an eternal theme of human society." Paita believes that China's development is not only independent, unique, and up-to-date, but also committed to mutual respect, mutual benefit, and common development. "Each country has its own unique national conditions, and the key is to gather consensus on prosperity and development through mutual learning and openness and inclusiveness." Paita said that China's global development initiative "responds to the demands of developing countries and points the way for achieving global common prosperity.".
In recent years, Papua New Guinea's specialty products such as tuna, coffee, and coconut oil have taken to the dining tables of Chinese people through platforms such as the China International Import Expo. Some exquisite handmade products such as earrings and necklaces designed by Papua New Guinea female entrepreneurs are also deeply loved by Chinese consumers. "China has opened the door to high-quality goods for various countries, and its thriving economy and open market continue to play a positive role in the recovery and development of various countries," said Paita.
"With China's sincere help, the people of the island countries feel the most sincere!" Paita said that the people of Papua New Guinea are eager to realize their yearning for a better life through development. Papua New Guinea values the partnership with China, and hopes to continue to carry out practical cooperation with China in marine disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change, marine resources development and sustainable economic development, strengthen the docking of development plans such as "connecting Papua New Guinea" with the initiative of jointly building the "the Belt and Road", "let the road of friendship and cooperation go wider and wider".
