China and Pacific Nations Strengthen Ties Through Tourism and Trade
In early May, the bustling city of Nadi in Fiji became the focal point for enhancing relations between China and Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Over a two-day tourism exchange session, officials and tourism professionals from China and ten PICs—including Fiji and Vanuatu—gathered to discuss collaborative efforts in the tourism sector.
Adela Issachar Aru, chairperson of the Pacific Tourism Organization, emphasized China’s significance as a key source market for the Pacific region. The event showcased the growing cooperation mechanisms between China and PICs, following the inaugural China-PICs Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in October 2021.
The partnership between the two sides is set to deepen further as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi chairs the third China-PICs Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen City on May 27 and 28. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, this marks the first time the meeting will be held in person in China. The agenda includes in-depth exchanges on bilateral cooperation and international and regional issues of mutual interest.
In recent years, China and PICs have committed to strengthening political mutual trust, safeguarding regional stability, and promoting economic and trade development through comprehensive cooperation. China has established diplomatic relations with 10 PICs, and multiple leaders from these nations have visited China to enhance bilateral ties.
Both sides have expanded mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields, including trade, investment, ocean affairs, and climate change. From 1992 to 2021, total trade volume between China and PICs with diplomatic relations saw an average annual increase of 13 percent, expanding over 30 times, according to a position paper issued after the second China-PICs Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in May 2022. In 2022, the total import and export volume reached $6.3 billion, as reported by China’s General Administration of Customs.
China has signed memorandums of understanding on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation with all the PICs with which it has diplomatic relations. According to Liu Weimin, Chinese Ambassador to Tonga, China has implemented at least 500 aid projects in Pacific Island countries, assisting in infrastructure development like roads, bridges, ports, hospitals, and schools, and has trained over 10,000 professionals.
Notable projects include the Independence Boulevard in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Malakula Island Highway in Vanuatu, and Vaipua Bridge in Tonga. These initiatives exemplify BRI cooperation, significantly improving local development and bringing tangible benefits to residents.
China has also enhanced cooperation with PICs in disaster prevention, climate change, and poverty reduction. In December 2021, the China-Pacific Island Countries Reserve for Emergency Supplies was launched in Guangdong Province, and in April 2022, the China-Pacific Island Countries Climate Change Cooperation Center was established in Shandong Province.
In the realm of agriculture and technology, the first China-aided overseas Juncao demonstration base was founded in PNG in 2001. Chinese experts have promoted Juncao technology, used in mushroom cultivation and livestock breeding, benefiting more than 45,000 households across nine provinces and 17 districts, as reported by the PNG newspaper Post Courier.
Henry Puna, former secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum, stated at the second China-PICs Foreign Ministers’ Meeting that China, being an important dialogue and development partner, has made indispensable contributions to the development of Pacific Island countries.
The two sides have also witnessed booming people-to-people and cultural exchanges. For instance, Liaocheng Vocational and Technical College in Shandong Province has engaged in practical cooperation with Kiribati in vocational education. The collaboration has been praised by the Embassy of the Republic of Kiribati to China for contributing to the cultivation of highly skilled talent in the Pacific Island country.
