CHINA / Wen in Fiji
Wen's speech at China-Pacific Island Countries forum
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-04-05 10:45
NADI, Fiji -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao here on Wednesday delivered a
keynote speech at the opening of the First Ministerial Conference of the
China-Pacific Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum.
The following is the full translation of Premier Wen's address to the
meeting:
Win-win Cooperation for Common Development
H.E. Wen Jiabao
Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
At the Opening of the First Ministerial Conference of the
China-Pacific Island Countries
Economic Development and Cooperation Forum
April 5, 2006
Dear Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Dear Prime Minister Michael Somare,
President of the Pacific Islands Forum, Heads of state and government,
Heads of the delegations, Ministers and Ambassadors, Friends from the
business community of China and the Pacific island countries, Ladies and
Gentlemen,
It gives me a great pleasure today to meet you at the opening of the
First Ministerial Conference of the China-Pacific Island Countries
Economic Development and Cooperation Forum to discuss ways of promoting
cooperation and development. On behalf of the Chinese Government, I wish
to extend warm congratulations on the opening of the First Ministerial
Conference and a warm welcome to all the state leaders and participants.
I also wish to thank the Fiji Government and the Secretariat of the
Pacific Islands Forum for all they have done for the opening of this
conference.
The world we live in today is undergoing complex and profound changes.
Steady economic growth, rapid progress in science and technology, the
accelerated relocation of industries and the movement of production
factors world-wide have created valuable opportunities for all countries
to develop their economies. However,the widening gap between the North
and the South and between the rich and the poor underscores the
increasing imbalance in global development. The growing non-traditional
security threats such as terrorism, transnational crimes, environmental
degradation and communicable diseases present a daunting challenge for
the sustainable development of developing countries, including the
Pacific island countries. We must therefore work together to cope with
the risks by pooling our wisdom.
China and the Pacific island countries, both being developing countries
in the Asia Pacific region, are engaged in economic revitalization and
social development. People in the region, facing a new international
environment and increasing economic globalization, ardently hope to seize
the opportunity, meet the challenge and keep abreast with the advance of
the times. It is against this general backdrop that the China-Pacific
Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum is being
held, with the goal of "strengthening cooperation and realizing common
development" to improve the well-being of people in our respective
countries. I am confident that this Forum, a landmark event in the
relations between China and the Pacific island countries, will set a new
model for South-South cooperation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
China firmly adheres to the path of peaceful development and pursues a
policy of peace, development and cooperation in international affairs.
China is committed to "promoting peace and development through
cooperation", and will continue to strengthen its friendship and
cooperation with the Pacific island countries on the basis of the Five
Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
Politically, China maintains that all countries, whether big or small,
strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international
community and should treat each other as such. We respect the social
systems of the Pacific island countries and the development strategy they
have adopted based on their national conditions and their efforts in
safeguarding sovereignty and independence and preserving peace and
stability in the region.
Economically, China shares the joy over the achievements of the Pacific
island countries and is keenly aware of the difficulties they face in
their development endeavor. We are committed to implementing the UN
Millennium Development Goals and helping the Pacific island countries
improve capacity for self-development. China is not rich. Still, we are
ready to provide assistance without any political strings attached to the
Pacific island countries to the best of our ability.
In international affairs, China strives to uphold the rights and
interests of the developing countries, including the Pacific island
countries. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China
supports the Pacific island countries in pursuing their legitimate
interests regarding maritime resources exploration and protection,
climate change and other issues and their right to equal participation in
regional and international affairs.
As a Chinese saying puts it, "Just as distance tests a horse's strength,
time will show a person's sincerity". As far as China is concerned, to
foster friendship and cooperation with the Pacific island countries is
not a diplomatic expediency. Rather, it is a strategic decision. China
has proved and will continue to prove itself to be a sincere, trustworthy
and reliable friend and partner of the Pacific island countries forever.
��
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
China's relations with the Pacific island countries have registered good
progress in recent years, and our common interests have expanded. As a
dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), China has set up the
China-PIF Cooperation Fund to help finance the Pacific Plan designed to
promote regional cooperation. The China-Pacific Island Countries Economic
Development and Cooperation Guiding Framework that we are going to sign
today is another significant step we take to enrich our cooperation. To
deepen friendship and cooperation between China and the Pacific island
countries is the shared desire of our peoples. It serves the fundamental
and long-term interests of each side and will strengthen peace and
prosperity of the region. With this goal in mind, I propose that China
and the Pacific island countries work together in the following fields:
conduct regular exchanges between governments, parliaments, political
parties and non-governmental sectors to enhance mutual trust and
understanding; strengthen consultation and coordination on major
international and regional issues; accommodate each other's interests and
reinforce mutual support; and establish a new economic and trade
relationship of mutual benefit that meets the needs of the island
countries.
Economic ties are an integral part of the relationship between China and
the Pacific island countries. Our respective economies are mutually
complementary. China has funding and technical expertise. The island
countries are rich in natural resources. Herein lie huge potentials for
bilateral cooperation. Following the principle of "looking to the future,
advancing steadily and working for mutual benefit and common
development", we can certainly make new progress in our economic
cooperation and trade ties. To meet the current need of economic
development of the Pacific island countries, China has decided to take
the following steps:
1)To strengthen cooperation between the business communities of China and
the Pacific island countries, China will provide RMB 3 billion yuan of
preferential loans in the next three years to boost cooperation in
resources development, agriculture, forestry,fishery, tourism, textiles
and consumer products manufacturing, telecommunications and aviation and
ocean shipping. The Chinese Government will also set up a special fund to
encourage Chinese companies to invest in the Pacific island countries.
2)To support the Pacific island countries in developing their economy and
ease their debt burden, China will give zero-tariff treatment to the
majority of exports to China from the least developed countries in the
region that have diplomatic ties with China. China will cancel their
debts that became mature at the end of 2005 and extend by ten years the
payment of debts contracted byother island countries that became mature
at the end of 2005.
3)China will provide free anti-malaria medicines to the island countries
affected by the disease in the next three years to help them treat
malaria. China will continue to send medical teams to the island
countries and conduct annual training courses for health officials,
hospital managers and medical researchers of these countries. China is
also ready to exchange information on bird flu prevention and control,
and cooperate with the island countries in various ways in this field.
4)China will provide training to 2,000 government officials and technical
staff from the island countries over the next three years to assist them
in capacity building.
5)To accelerate the development of tourism of the Pacific island
countries, China has decided to formally approve Papua New Guinea, Samoa,
and the Federated States of Micronesia as destinations for Chinese
tourists. Thus, all the seven island countries having diplomatic ties
with China are now approved tourist destinations for Chinese citizens.
6)China will provide assistance in building an earthquake or tsunami
early warning and monitoring network in light of the need of the island
countries to improve their capability of managing earthquakes, tsunamis
and other natural disasters.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is here in the Pacific island countries that the world sees the first
ray of the sun. Your people are warm and hospitable and you have a great
potential for economic development. The bond between China and the
Pacific island countries, just like the rising sun, has a bright future.
We share a common vision for the future. Let's work together to
strengthen peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
In conclusion, I wish the First Ministerial Conference of China-Pacific
Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum every success.
Thank you all!
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