Fruitful Outcomes of the Successful Visit by the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi ^Featured

Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, the Hon. Prime Minister

Hon. Ministers,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

It will always be a happy thing for us to attend the handover ceremonies of assistance items from China to Tonga. It is the third time this year that the Chinese Embassy and the Prime Minister’s Office hosted the handover ceremony of farm tractors. Altogether, 70 farm tractors have been handed over to the Tongan Government this year.

This batch of 30 farm tractors is one of the concrete outcomes of the visit by the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister, H.E. Wang from 31^st May to 1^st June. Besides, there are more outcomes of the visit, such as the assistance of water tanks, boat engines, vehicles, rapid antigen test kits, etc, and also cooperation in many fields. We are confident that all these assistance items will be helpful for the Tongan Government and the Tongan people in your recovery efforts for the economic and social development, and especially for food security.

Let me say a few more words on the successful visit by the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The highlights of the visit are the audience of His Majesty, the meetings with the Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku and the Foreign Minister Hon. Fekitamoeloa Katoa 'Utoikamanu, and also the signing of the documents for cooperation between China and Tonga. H.E. Wang Yi and His Majesty, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister reached many understandings and common consensus on the further cooperation in various fields between China and Tonga, such as trade, agriculture, heath, fishery, education and people-to-people exchanges. In one word, this visit is a goodwill, a cooperative and a future-oriented diplomacy for China-Tonga relations.

China and Tonga have enjoyed very friendly relations and cooperation, and our bilateral ties will be sure to get better and better in the future，which is a historical trend.

First, the comprehensive and strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development between China and Tonga is a future-oriented relationship. President Xi Jinping and His Majesty have kept close communications with each other and have drawn a long-term blueprint for the development of our bilateral relations. Such interactions at the top level has cemented the solid political foundation for our overall relationship. The mission of our work is to turn the blueprint into reality.

Second, our bilateral cooperation will bear more fruits for win-win results. During the visit, Minister Wang told His Majesty and Hon. Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku that China has set up six new platforms specifically for Pacific Island countries, including poverty reduction and development, climate action, disaster preparedness and mitigation, agricultural cooperation, etc..

Tonga will benefit from these cooperation platforms. His Majesty and the Prime Minister spoke highly and positively of the cooperation platforms, and also wished to enhance the cooperation under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative. The theme of our cooperation is common development. Both China and Tonga are developing countries. China’s poverty reduction and development experience can be shared with Tonga, more measures will be taken to achieve this goal through bilateral cooperation.

Third, our cooperation is oriented for a China-Pacific community for a shared future. It is China's consistent stance that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal. China proposes that all countries should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and jointly promote peace, security and stability in the Pacific Island region.

Finally, I would like to say that, as one of the development partners of Tonga, China doesn’t just talk the talk, China walks the walk. When it comes to development commitments, China has a strong track record of delivering. China will continue to deliver on its commitments on its economic and technical cooperation with Tonga. With our joint efforts, the cordial relationship between China and Tonga will usher in a brighter future.