Xi meets Fijian PM in Beijing, pledging to strengthen development cooperation

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka in Beijing on Tuesday.

Xi congratulated Fiji's Men's Rugby Sevens team on winning the silver medal at the Paris Olympic Games.

Noting that Fiji was the first Pacific island country to establish diplomatic relations with China and that next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Xi said that for nearly half a century, the two countries have always supported and helped each other, setting a good example of equal treatment and friendly cooperation between countries large and small.

China attaches great importance to China-Fiji relations and is willing to continue to provide assistance to the best of its ability for Fiji's economic and social development, and work with Fiji to grasp the general direction of bilateral relations and promote the building of a China-Fiji community with a shared future to better benefit the two peoples, Xi said.

Xi briefed Rabuka, who had visited Yunnan, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces prior to the meeting, on China's practices and experience in poverty alleviation. The completion of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects for more than 1.4 billion people is a historic achievement the Chinese people have made under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and a historic contribution China has made to the cause of poverty reduction and the development of humanity, he stressed.

"In this process, we have left no ethnic group, region or individual behind, fully demonstrating the socialist system's political advantage in concentrating resources on major undertakings. We have won the heartfelt support of the people of all 56 ethnic groups in China," Xi said.

China is endeavoring to build itself into a stronger country and rejuvenate the Chinese nation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernization that adheres to a path of peaceful development, Xi said.

Noting that China and Fiji both belong to the Global South, Xi said China is ready to help Fiji and other Pacific island countries cope with climate change, and strengthen development cooperation with them to make the Pacific Ocean an ocean of peace, friendship and cooperation.

Rabuka congratulated the Chinese Olympic delegation on its excellent performance at the Paris Olympics. He said he visited China 30 years ago as prime minister, and through his Yunnan, Fujian and Zhejiang tours this time, he witnessed the tremendous achievements China has made in poverty eradication and development under the leadership of President Xi.

Fiji is willing to learn from China's experience, and strengthen cooperation with China in poverty reduction, infrastructure and connectivity, he said.

Fiji appreciates China's adherence to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, supports the global initiatives proposed by President Xi, and is willing to continue the Belt and Road cooperation with China, promote the development of relations between Pacific island countries and China, and make the Pacific Ocean a peaceful ocean, Rabuka said.

He noted that Fiji fully understands China's position on the Taiwan question and will continue to firmly pursue the one-China policy.

A joint statement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Fiji was issued.