China hopes to expand win-win cooperation with Pacific island countries for common development

SUVA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- China has put forward a series of proposals to deepen its comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development with Pacific island countries, according to a position paper issued here Monday after the second China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the paper said, China has implemented nearly 500 complete plant projects, technical assistance, in-kind assistance and concessional loan projects in Pacific island countries, which have helped them build important infrastructure such as roads, bridges, wharfs, hospitals, schools and stadiums, and trained about 10,000 professionals in various fields.

China has dispatched medical teams to eight Pacific island countries having diplomatic ties with China, and has signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with all the 10 Pacific island countries having diplomatic relations with China, the paper said.

From 1992 to 2021, total trade volume between China and Pacific island countries having diplomatic relations with China registered an average annual increase of 13 percent and expanded by over 30 times, while the two sides have forged 22 pairs of sister provinces/states and cities, it said.

Looking ahead, China stands ready to deepen its ties with Pacific island countries so as to build a closer China-Pacific Island Countries community with a shared future.

China will appoint a Chinese government special envoy for Pacific island countries affairs, the paper said.

On security, China hopes to work with Pacific island countries to follow the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security so as to promote regional peace and security.

China upholds the international non-proliferation regime with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as its cornerstone and supports the development of the South Pacific nuclear-free zone, it said, adding that the two sides can work together to combat transnational crimes including cyber crime, and jointly tackle non-traditional security threats.

On economy, China stands ready to work with Pacific island countries to strengthen the synergy between Belt and Road cooperation and regional cooperation initiatives such as Pacific Aid for Trade Strategy 2020-2025, Regional E-commerce Strategy and Pacific Quality Infrastructure Initiative, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in fields of infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and fishery, energy, mining, information and communication technology, e-commerce and tourism.

China will continue to promote Pacific island countries' premium products and projects, such as agro-products, and expand their market access to China, it said.

As Pacific island countries are vulnerable to climate crisis, China will help them build a climate resilient blue economy, and provide training opportunities through the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center.

China is willing to carry out cooperation on ocean forecasting and disaster early-warning, establish a China-Pacific island countries disaster management cooperation mechanism and a disaster preparedness and mitigation cooperation center, and hold the first China-Pacific Island Countries Disaster Management Cooperation Forum in due course, the paper said.

China encourages and supports airlines to launch air routes and flights between China and Pacific island countries when COVID-19 is effectively under control.

China also pledges to provide anti-COVID-19 assistance Pacific island countries need, and inject additional capital into the China-Pacific Island Countries Anti-COVID-19 Cooperation Fund in 2022, the paper said.

Chinese medical teams will be sent to Pacific island countries including the Solomon Islands and Kiribati, with the total number reaching 200 in the next five years, it said.

China will provide 2,500 government scholarships and 3,000 human resource training opportunities for Pacific island countries from 2020 to 2025, it said.

Fijian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired the second China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting here on Monday.