I. Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu’s visit to Fiji

On April 14,Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu visited Fiji and met with Hon. Speaker Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, Hon. Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica, and Hon. Assistant Minister for office of the Prime Minister Sakiusa Tubuna. The two sides had in-depth communication on how to maintain and develop China-Fiji relations. Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Fiji have both issued press release about this visit on April 14.

According to the diplomatic practice, China raised the proposal of Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu paying courtesy call to the Hon. Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. After the coordination between the two sides, Hon. Prime Minister Rabuka designated Hon. Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica to meet with Vice FM Ma Zhaoxu. And China respected Fiji’s arrangement.

We would like to stress that, the channels of communication between China and Fiji have always been open and smooth, and dialogue and negotiation have always been the way for friends to get along.

II. China-Fiji Relations and the Taiwan question

Fiji is the first Pacific Island Country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Since we established diplomatic ties 48 years ago, China has always respected Fiji’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, never interfered in Fiji’s internal affairs, never attached any political strings for our cooperation, and never sought any self-interest. When developing friendly relations with Fiji, China has always upheld sincerity and good faith, and regarded Fiji as an important part of South-South cooperation and an important partner in building a community with a shared future for mankind. For years, China has brought Fiji with roads, bridges, jetties, solar power systems, advanced Juncao and rice planting technology, which are all tangible benefits to the Fijian people.  

The Taiwan question concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the 1.4 billion Chinese people’s national sentiments,and is the core of the core interests of China. There is only one China in the world. Taiwan has never been a country, but an inalienable part of China’s territory. The People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The one-China principle is an overwhelming consensus of the international community, a widely recognized norm governing international relations, and the political foundation for China to develop diplomatic relations with 182 countries that have established diplomatic ties, including Fiji. Successive Fijian government has adhered to the one-China principle. The new Fijian government has reiterated publicly many times that it will continue to adhere to the one-China policy.

China is willing to strengthen mutual beneficial cooperation with Fiji on the basis of respecting each other’s core interests, and further promote our bilateral relationship. And we expect the Fijian side to firmly adhere to the one-China principle through concrete actions.

III. China-Fiji Law Enforcement and Police Cooperation

The law enforcement and police cooperation between China and Fiji is professional, open and transparent. As early as in 2011, the two sides already signed the Memorandum Of Understanding between China’s Ministry of Public Security and Fiji’s Ministry of Defence, National Security and Policing, which has significantly promoted the exchanges and cooperation of law enforcement and police cooperation between the two countries. Under the MOU, China has provided assistance and capacity training for Fijian Police. Chinese and Fijian Police have worked together for jointing investigations on specific transnational crimes. Besides Fiji, China has also carried out similar law enforcement and police cooperation with many other countries in the world including Asian and European countries. We hope relevant parties can abandon ideological prejudice, and view the law enforcement and police cooperation between China and Fiji objectively and rationally.

China’s cooperation with Fiji is open and transparent, doesn’t target any country, nor shouldn’t be disrupted by any country. China is glad to see Fiji engage in mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries, and is willing to work together with countries within and outside the Pacific Island region to help Fiji enhance capacity for independent development and accelerate the realization of development and revitalization. The Chinese side sincerely hope relevant countries to make more contributions through concrete actions for Fiji and the PICs,rather than only caring and helping the PICs out of geopolitical needs.