President Xi Jinping visits Oceania

Fiji, November, 2014 - Extracts from speech by President Xi Jinping

I hope my visit will help strengthen political mutual trust, enhance cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, agriculture, forestry, fishery and tourism, example people-to-people and cultural exchanges, deepen multilateral coordination and cooperation, and take China-Fiji traditional friendship to a new height.

An important agenda of my visit is to invite leaders of all Pacific island countries that have diplomatic ties with China to Fiji for discussion on ways to further grow China’s relations with these countries.

Pacific island countries are important members of the Asia-Pacific community and the developing world. Since independence, they have made important headway in nation-building and economic and social development, and taken solid steps in advancing regional cooperation.

China firmly supports the people of island countries in pursuing development paths suitable to the their own national conditions, upholding sovereignty and development rights and interests, and participating in international and regional affairs on an equal footing with other countries.

The people of island countries are working for the prosperity of their national economies and expansion of regional cooperation. There is certainly room for us to align development strategies, leverage our respective strengths and achieve win-win results.

We will continue to do what we can to provide support and assistance to island countries. We will encourage more Chinese businesses to engage in investment cooperation with island countries, and help them solve the most immediate and pressing difficulties, take the challenges posed by climate change very seriously, help them better translate their strengths in natural endowment, environment and human resources into drivers for development and achieve common prosperity.

A long time ago, many Chinese came to island countries and worked with the locals. They lived together in harmony and sowed the seeds of friendship and hope. Since the founding of New China, many Chinese doctors, teachers, agricultural experts, engineers and technicians have come to island countries to work with the people here to implement economic and technical cooperation projects. They have also brought with them profound goodwill of the Chinese people toward the people of island countries. In recent years, more and more Chinese tourists have visited island countries attracted by the turquoise ocean, white beaches, coconut trees and unique cultures.

We hope to expand exchanges and cooperation with island countries in culture, education, health, sports and between youths and at local levels so as to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between our people and pass on our friendship from generation to generation.

China will be a lasting true friend of people of Pacific island countries and will work together with pacific island countries to shape an even better future for our relations.