President Mori meets President Xi in Nadi, Fiji

November 25, 2014 (FSM Embassy, Beijing)

After attending the G20 meeting in Australia and visiting New Zealand, China’s President, His Excellency Xi Jinping, visited Nadi, Fiji from 21-23 November to meet with the eight leaders of the Pacific island countries that have diplomatic ties with China (Fiji, FSM, Samoa, PNG, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Tonga, Niue). President Xi’s visit to Nadi is historic and indicates China’s increasing support and strong friendship with these eight Pacific island countries. The visit was the first time for China at the Presidential level and was also the first meeting between President Xi and Pacific island leaders since taking up the Presidency in March 2013.

His Excellency President Emanuel Manny Mori lead FSM’s delegation to Nadi where the two leaders met for the first time on November 22, 2014, for a bilateral meeting at the Frangipani Room of the Sheraton Hotel. During the bilateral talks, the two Presidents exchanged their courtesies and pleasantries. President Mori congratulated the two sides for the milestone achievement this year marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between FSM and China. President Mori took the opportunity to also reiterate FSM’s unequivocal support and adherence to the One China policy.

Thanking President Xi for all the support China has contributed over the years to FSM’s nation building efforts, President Mori sought President Xi’s assistance in encouraging Chinese businesses to invest in the FSM in the areas of tourism, fisheries, agriculture, energy, transportation, and telecommunications. Noting the importance of balancing development and climate change, President Mori welcomed China and USA’s recent agreement at the margins of the APEC meeting in Beijing to work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

FSM and China have shared a fruitful relationship these past twenty-five years. President Mori noted the strong bilateral ties and encouraged President Xi for more people-to-people and cultural exchanges to further deepen the strong bond of friendship between the two peoples and governments.
The bilateral meeting concluded with President Mori and President Xi witnessing the exchange of the agreements and MOU between the two sides. Both sides had earlier signed an Air Worthiness agreement, an MOU for the construction of the Chuuk Administration building, and an economic and technical cooperation agreement for the value of ten million USD for projects to be agreed to later by the two sides. The two Presidents also witnessed the exchange of an agreement between FSM Telecom and ZTE for cooperation in the improvement of telecommunications in the FSM.

After completion of the bilateral meeting, President Mori joined his colleagues from the Pacific in a multilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping. In the multilateral meeting, President Xi announced China’s policy for Strategic Partnership for the Asia Pacific region. He informed the Pacific Island leaders that China will add $2 billion dollars more to the current $2 billion for soft loans to assist in the improvement of infrastructure facilities and promote economic development in the eight Pacific island countries. In addition, China will increase its assistance in health, education, and technical trainings for the next four years.

Members of President Mori’s delegation to Nadi included, First Lady Mrs. Emma Nelson Mori, Secretary Lorin S. Robert, Ambassador Akillino H. Susaia, Ambassador Gerson Jackson, Director Andrew Yatilman, Mayor Sefet Salle, Mr. John Sigrah, and Mr. Brian P. Etscheit.