 |
| FSM President Mori addressing the 2nd China-Pacific Island Countries Economic Cooperation and Development Forum on November 8, 2013 |
(Guangzhou, China) – President
Emanuel Mori attended the recently concluded Second China-Pacific Island
Countries Economic Cooperation and Development Forum held on November 8, 2013
in Guangzhou, China. The Forum was a
high-level event that brought Chinese leaders together with the leaders of
Pacific Island Countries including the FSM.
The first Forum was held in Nadi, Fiji in 2006.
The objective of the Forum was to
discuss China’s economic cooperation and development assistance for the Pacific
island countries. In his statement to the Forum, Vice Premier Wang Yang
announced China’s financial assistance in the amount of $2 billion to the
Pacific island countries which have diplomatic relations with China. $1 billion
will be in concessional loans by China's Export-Import Bank and the $1 billion
will be administered by the China National Development Bank for infrastructure
projects.
At the margins of this Forum, FSM
and China held a bilateral discussion during which Vice Premier Wang announced
a $10 million dollar grant to the FSM. An MOU on this economic and technical
grant was signed by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Hon. Lorin Robert on behalf of
the FSM and Vice Premier Wang on behalf of the People’s Republic of China.
In his address at the Forum, President
Mori acknowledged that the Forum represents another opportunity for the FSM to
continue strengthening its diplomatic relations with China. He further
emphasized the need for the Pacific island countries to be strategic in
approaching development assistance given the prevailing global financial
challenges. Furthermore, President Mori underscored the need for China to be
more systemic and forthcoming in terms of announcing its development assistance
so that these grants can be taken into account during the formulation of FSM’s
annual budgets.
Four seminars were also held at the
margins of the Forum in the areas of Agriculture and Fisheries, Environmental
Protection, Trade and Investment, and Tourism.
Members of President Mori’s delegation participated in these seminars
and workshops.
Accompanying President Mori were
some members of his cabinet, diplomatic staff from the FSM Embassy in China,
and representatives of the private sectors of the four states.
For more information on outcome of
this Forum, please contact the FSM Departments of Resources and Development and
Foreign Affairs.
No comments:
Post a Comment