At the Signing Ceremony of the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation
(December 16, 2010)
Your Excellency Ambassador Michael Maue, Secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Immigration,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure to attend this important event of the Signing Ceremony of the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Governments of the People's Republic of China and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
First of all, I wish to recall the successful official meeting between H.E. Mr. Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of China, and Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, in September this year in Tianjin, China, during which, with a view to further developing the bilateral economic and technical cooperation between the two countries, Premier Wen announced the provision of a RMB 30 million grant aid to the Government of PNG, which is to be used for the implementation of mutually agreed projects.
Today, we are gathered here to co-sign the said important Agreement to push forward the above-mentioned fruitful outcomes from our two leaders' meeting. With this Agreement, I firmly believe that the economic and technical cooperation between our two countries will be further expanded and deepened on the basis of mutual respect, mutual benefit and equality, which are the basic principles for China's aid to foreign countries.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The Chinese Government always attaches great importance to the development of the friendly relations between China and PNG. Both China and PNG are developing countries and we are sharing and facing many similar challenges. Although we are far away from each other geographically, we are always close to each other as brothers and sisters. As a developing country, China not only cares about its own economic and social development, but also that of PNG and other developing countries. During the past years, the Chinese Government has done its best to support and assist PNG in achieving its social and economic development goals with the implementation of a dozen of aid projects in the areas of infrastructure, education, health and agriculture. I'm happy to note that all these aid projects in one way or another have played an important role in the social development of PNG which are beneficial to the wellbeing of the people of PNG. We will continue to support PNG with our aid projects in the future. Currently the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone Project in Madang and the International Convention Centre project are both underway. Beside the aid projects, our mutual cooperation is also reflected in the area of trade and investment. The trade between our two countries is increasing and it reached nearly USD900 million in 2009. As for the investment, China's MCC's USD1.4 billion investment project of Ramu Nico Mine is a win-win cooperation project between out two countries and it will certainly make remarkable contributions to the economic development of PNG.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
At present, our bilateral relations have been keeping a good momentum. There are frequent high-level meetings and exchange of visits, growing trade and economic cooperation and fruitful exchange and cooperation in various fields. Looking ahead, there are great potentials for further expanding our exchange and cooperation in trade, investment, education, health, agriculture and many other fields. Such exchange and cooperation on an equal and mutually beneficial basis is not only conducive to the economic social development of our two countries but also beneficial to the well-being of our two peoples. I sincerely hope that we will join hands and work together to further promote the mutually beneficial cooperation and friendship between our two countries and two peoples, so as to ensure a sound and stable China-PNG relationship in the years and decades to come.
In conclusion, I would like to wish you Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Thank you.