Preface

In November 2014, President Xi Jinping and leaders of the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) that have diplomatic relations with China met in Fiji and unanimously agreed to establish a strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development. In November 2018, President Xi Jinping and leaders of PICs that have diplomatic relations with China met in Papua New Guinea and unanimously agreed to elevate their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development, and created a new situation of all round cooperation.

In recent years, Guangdong has resolutely implemented the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and the leaders of PICs, actively carry out all round exchanges and cooperation, strive to allow the people of PICs to obtain real benefits, and help build a community with a shared future for China and PICs. This article is now published to comprehensively show the fruitful results of cooperation between Guangdong and PICs.

I. Important documents and visits

Important documents

In 2018, during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Papua New Guinea, Guangdong signed memorandum of understanding on promoting friendly exchanges with 8 PICs that have diplomatic relations with China, namely Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Tanga, Vanuatu, Cook Islands and Niue. In 2019 and 2020, Guangdong signed memorandum of understanding on promoting friendly exchanges with Solomon Islands and Kiribati. This has strengthened policy synergy, planned cooperation directions, and further promoted all round exchanges and cooperation between Guangdong and PICs.

Important visits

Since 2015, H.E.Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Fiji Prime Minister (July 2015), H.E. Peter O'Neill, then Papua New Guinea Prime Minister (July 2016, December 2017, June 2018), H.E. Charlot Salwai, then Vanuatu Prime Minister (October 2016, January 2018), H.E. Peter M. Christian, then President of the Federated States of Micronesia (March 2017), H.M. Tupou VI, the King of Tonga (March 2018), H.E. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, then Prime Minister of Samoa (September 2018), H.E. Manasseh Sogavare, Solomon Islands Prime Minister (October 2019), H.E. Taneti Maamau, Kiribati President (January 2020), other heads of state or government, and about 70 batches of ministerial delegations have visited Guangdong.

During this period, a total of 11 Guangdong provincial leaders including Mr. Hu Chunhua, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and then Party Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (May 2015), and Mr. Li Xi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Party Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (September 2018), have led delegations to visit PICs such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Cook Islands.

II. People's livelihood assistance

Complete projects

As of now, Guangdong has completed 18 people's livelihood projects in PICs, including China-Papua New Guinea Friendship School Butuka Academy, China (Guangdong) - Papua New Guinea Malaria Prevention Center, Scratchley Road, Pari Road and Bus Station Pavilions in Port Moresby, Fiji Suva City Hall Auditorium Renovation, Fiji Marist Brothers High School Stadium Reconstruction, China-Samoa Friendship Park, Samoa Culture and Art Center, Tonga Capital Central District pedestrian trails, Tupou College roads, Tapu Island tourist attractions roads, Ha’apai Islands pedestrian trails, Vanuatu Port Vila Stadium, etc.

At present, Guangdong tries to overcome the impact of the pandemic, and actively promotes the construction of the National Convention Center of the Federated State of Micronesia, the Kiribati Capital Youth Park and other projects to strive for early completion.

Goods and Materials

Since 2015, Guangdong has provided about 62 batches of people's livelihood material assistance to PICs, including production equipment such as tractors, excavators, fishing boats, generators, living materials such as solar lamps, water storage tanks, iron sheet tiles, trash can, medical equipment such as ECG monitors, air pressure instruments, hospital carts, teaching equipment such as desks and chairs, computers, schoolbags, stationery, school uniforms, vehicles such as school buses, garbage trucks, passenger trucks, motorcycles, sports equipment such as basketball racks, barbells, footballs, fitness facilities, and digital devices such as LED screens, sound equipment, film screening equipment, cameras.

In the future, Guangdong will continue to provide support and help to PICs within its capacity to improve people's livelihood. In 2022, Guangdong plans to donate tractors, generators, solar lamps, water storage tanks, iron sheet tiles, electronic education equipment, desk, chairs and schoolbags, etc.