China and the Pacific island countries in Nadi on Wednesday
agreed to work for the establishment of a partnership of economic
and trade cooperation on the basis of equality, complementarity,
mutual benefit and respect.
The agreement was made in the China-Pacific Island Countries
Economic Development and Cooperation Guiding Framework, which was
signed here after the opening ceremony for the First Ministerial
Meeting of the China-Pacific Island Countries Economic Development
and Cooperation Forum.
Ministers of the Commonwealth of Australia, the People's
Republic of China, the Cook Islands, the Republic of Fiji Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, New Zealand, Niue, the Independent
State of Papua New Guinea, the Independent State of Samoa, the
Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Vanuatu are here attending the
two-day meeting.
Ministers believe that the establishment of the Forum will be
conducive to cooperation between all participating countries for
their mutual benefit in the field of trade and investment.
China and Pacific island countries agreed to strengthen and
improve bilateral consultations through increasing high-level
dialogues, exchange of visits, and consultations by senior
officials, so as to identify new fields and methods of economic and
trade cooperation, including discussion and establishment of
mechanisms for consultation on multilateral economic and trade
issues.
More efforts will be made to develop bilateral relationships and
to revitalize cooperation in the economic field within the
framework of existing bilateral consultation mechanisms.
And all mechanisms established within the Forum will be regarded
as complementary to existing bilateral consultation mechanisms and
will consistently enhance linkages between governments.
China and the Pacific island countries agreed to enhance
cooperation, offer mutual support and coordinate positions, where
possible, in the World Trade Organization and other multilateral
trade-related areas.
Ministers agreed that the Ministerial Conference of the Forum
will be held at least every four years or such other period as the
participating countries may agree from time to time.
The Pacific island countries shall be granted Approved
Destination Status for Chinese citizens under a guiding
framework.
Under the Framework, China and the Pacific island countries
vowed to actively promote cooperation in tourism as the two sides
envision great potential in this field.
To this end, the experiences of all participating countries in
the development of tourism will be shared with a view to attracting
and facilitating investment and cooperation between
enterprises.
Priority will be given to promotion of land-based tourism
including eco-tourism, and cruise tourism, cooperation in hotel
construction, operation and management, and the processing and
production of tourism handicrafts.
And bilateral consultations between relevant institutions of
China and the Pacific island countries will be promoted in order to
explore the possibilities of civil aviation services compatible
with multi-destination tourism.
Under the Framework, China and the Pacific island countries will
also promote and improve cooperation in the development of human
resources and personnel exchanges in order to enhance trade and to
foster mutual understanding and friendship between China and the
Pacific island countries.
China and the Pacific island countries also agreed to take
measures to foster cooperation in the field of agriculture,
including fishery.
Under the Framework, priority will be given to encouraging
cooperation in the study and formulation of agricultural
development programs, transfer of technical expertise, construction
of agricultural infrastructure, manufacture of machines for
agricultural use, processing of agricultural products, fishery and
plant farming as well as assessment and sustainable use and
development of fishery resources.
Enterprises will be encouraged to enter into joint venture
partnerships in agriculture, including fishery, and experience of
all countries in the development of agriculture, including fishery,
will be shared with a view to facilitating investment, technical
cooperation and cooperation between enterprises.
China and the Pacific island countries also agreed to make more
efforts to encourage and promote discussion among their enterprises
to explore different types of cooperation in the fields of
transportation, electric power, wind and solar power technology,
telecommunication, water supply, water treatment and urban
planning, and to facilitate cooperation in these fields.
China and the Pacific island countries agreed to strengthen
exchanges and cooperation in the field of natural resources and to
make efforts to optimize utilization of resources on the basis of
sustainable development.
And cooperation in the sustainable exploitation and utilization
of natural resources will be promoted on the basis of mutual
benefit.
(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2006)
