Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has signed a number of broad agreements with his counterpart and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China.
The Prime Minister said President Xi wants to see a strengthening of PNG’s industrial and manufacturing sector, and to increase exports from the country into China.
President Xi also wants to encourage more tourists from China into Papua New Guinea to see the amazing landscape and the people and to do that he said that China would work with the PNG’s tourism sector to lay the groundwork for Chinese tourist and promote the country.
Prime Minister O’Neill said an Air Services Agreement was signed on Wednesday July 7, to establish direct flights to Beijing and that would pave way forward for the tourism sector.
On Wednesday’s meeting with Premier Li, he echoed that on such important visit the two countries must not only sign agreements but also they want them translated into action.
China wishes to continue increasing the import of PNG’s fisheries product to meet their growing demand, which would include the co-operation to strengthen the country’s food processing capacity.
The Prime Minister said Premier Li also offered to extend practical technical capacity building support to PNG’S agricultural sector to make producers in the country more productive.
Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill met with Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China on Thursday July 7 for the bilateral talks.
The Prime Minister had in-depth exchange of views on issues of shared interest, including the development of bilateral relations, and reached broad agreement.
Meeting with President Xi has made it clear that the Government of Papua New Guinea will continue to encourage Chinese companies to invest in the country.
What was made clear in the meetings with:
- The President
- The Premier
- Commerce Minister Gao
- The Governor of the China Development Bank Mr Zheng
- EXIM Bank and other business leaders were that there is great confidence in Papua New Guinea.
“These are people and organisations who do their research and they know the facts”
“Now is the time to invest in Papua New Guinea,” said PM O’Neill.
At the Government level, it is entering into a Strategic Partnership of Mutual Cooperation between the two countries and there is much to gain in terms of Technology to help farmers, fishermen and information technology.
“Papua New Guinea is a gateway to the Pacific Island nations for China,” said PM.
For the 2018 APEC meeting will be learn from the success of China’s APEC that was held in 2014.
President Xi has offered any support or assistance PNG requires as he confirmed to attend the meeting in 2018.
“This has been a very successful visit that is breaking new ground between our countries,” said PM O’Neill.