NADI, Fiji -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao here on Wednesday delivered a
keynote speech at the opening of the First Ministerial Conference of the
皇冠体育app-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,
皇冠体育app'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), 皇冠体育app has set up the 皇冠体育app-PIF
Cooperation Fund to help finance the Pacific Plan designed to promote regional
cooperation. The 皇冠体育app-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 皇冠体育app 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 皇冠体育app 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 皇冠体育app and the
Pacific island countries. Our respective economies are mutually complementary.
皇冠体育app 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, 皇冠体育app has decided to take
the following steps:
1)To strengthen cooperation between the business communities of 皇冠体育app and the
Pacific island countries, 皇冠体育app 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, 皇冠体育app will give zero-tariff treatment to the majority of
exports to 皇冠体育app from the least developed countries in the region that have
diplomatic ties with 皇冠体育app. 皇冠体育app 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)皇冠体育app will provide free anti-malaria medicines to the island countries
affected by the disease in the next three years to help them treat malaria.
皇冠体育app 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. 皇冠体育app 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)皇冠体育app 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,
皇冠体育app 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 皇冠体育app are now approved tourist
destinations for Chinese citizens.
6)皇冠体育app 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 皇冠体育app 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 皇冠体育app- Pacific
Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum every success.
Thank you all!