China signed Cooperation Documents with three Pacific Island

On April 5, Ministry¹ of Commerce of China and Government Departments of Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu signed 7 agreements. China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation and China Communications Construction Group (LTD.) signed 10 business contracts with the enterprises of the three countries.

　　Memorandum² between China and Fiji on Strengthening Cooperation in Infrastructure³ Field was one of the documents signed during the first Ministerial Conference of China-Pacific Islands Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum⁴ opened on April 5. Documents between enterprises were related to transportation, agriculture, telecommunication⁵, aero technology and tourism etc, including Contract about Huawei Technology offering and installing CDMA equipments for Fijian Telecom Company.

　　The conference was co-sponsored by Ministry of Commerce of China and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Fiji. Wen Jiabao, Premier⁶ of State Council, attended the inauguration⁷ and delivered a speech. Leaders and senior officials of Pacific Islands countries, delegates of Australia and New Zealand, entrepreneurs of China and Pacific Islands countries, about 600 in all, attended the conference.

　　On the banquet held for the attended leaders and Ministers of Pacific Islands countries, Bo Xilai, Minister of Commerce of China, expressed that China attached importance to develop relations with Pacific Islands countries. China has a numerous population, large markets and a number of advanced technologies in manufacturing. Pacific Islands countries have abundant natural and tourism resources. China would encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in Pacific Islands countries and help to translate resource advantage into economic advantage.

　　According to Liao Xiaoqi, Vice⁸ Minister of Commerce of China, in 2005, trade between China and Pacific Islands countries amounted to US$840 million. By the end of 2005, economic and technological⁹ cooperation contracts of US$2 billion had been newly signed with Pacific Islands countries. There were 70 Chinese-funded enterprises in Pacific islands and contractual investment reached US$110 million