CHINA / National

Win-win Cooperation for Common Development
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-04-05 11:04

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.

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 by other 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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