Xinhua, Port Moresby :
The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is creating more and more cooperation opportunities between China and Pacific island countries, paving the way for their further integration into the global economy.
Papua New Guinea (PNG), the host of this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic leaders’ meeting, joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in May, and became the first Pacific island country to sign a memorandum of understanding with China on the Belt and Road cooperation in June.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told Xinhua recently that “for international developing countries like PNG, this (the Belt and Road Initiative) is a great initiative because of the access to capital and infrastructure-building capacities that we are now developing together with China. It is able to open up markets and improve the standard of living for our people.”
“The initiative is something that is good for PNG and good for the region and globally it will continue to promote trade and investment for all countries,” he added.
Earlier this month, the tropical nation of Fiji also signed a memorandum of understanding with China on cooperation within the Belt and Road framework.
“Fiji highly appreciates and supports the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), and will actively participate in the development of the initiative in a bid to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the two countries,” Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister Yogesh Karan said.
As one of the first Pacific island countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, Samoa has also expressed interest in partnering China on sustainable development projects.
“The Belt and Road Initiative is opening a vast market and bringing lots of opportunities for the world, particular for the small countries like Samoa in the South Pacific region in this difficult time and challenges posed by climate change,” Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said in an interview with Xinhua earlier this year.
The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative is creating more and more cooperation opportunities between China and Pacific island countries, paving the way for their further integration into the global economy.
Papua New Guinea (PNG), the host of this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic leaders’ meeting, joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in May, and became the first Pacific island country to sign a memorandum of understanding with China on the Belt and Road cooperation in June.
PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told Xinhua recently that “for international developing countries like PNG, this (the Belt and Road Initiative) is a great initiative because of the access to capital and infrastructure-building capacities that we are now developing together with China. It is able to open up markets and improve the standard of living for our people.”
“The initiative is something that is good for PNG and good for the region and globally it will continue to promote trade and investment for all countries,” he added.
Earlier this month, the tropical nation of Fiji also signed a memorandum of understanding with China on cooperation within the Belt and Road framework.
“Fiji highly appreciates and supports the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), and will actively participate in the development of the initiative in a bid to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the two countries,” Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister Yogesh Karan said.
As one of the first Pacific island countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, Samoa has also expressed interest in partnering China on sustainable development projects.
“The Belt and Road Initiative is opening a vast market and bringing lots of opportunities for the world, particular for the small countries like Samoa in the South Pacific region in this difficult time and challenges posed by climate change,” Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said in an interview with Xinhua earlier this year.
