Beijing, China – SIX Pacific Islands journalists met with the Director of the Pacific Island Division, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry on Foreign Affairs, Gu Xinqiang in Beijing and exchanged views within him on China’s bilateral cooperation with their respective countries, including China’s exchange program for international journalists.
The meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarter on Friday 27 June, a week ahead of the conclusion of the China International Press Communication Center-coordinated exchange program for international journalists, in which the six Pacific Islands journalists are participating.
The six journalists are Girvan Lea from the Tonga Broadcasting Commission, Nikhil Kumar from Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Mika Albie from Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation, Bernadette Depoudu and Raymond Teerua from Nauru Media and Deli-Sharon Oso from Solomon Star.
Mr Gu emphasized that China sees all its bilaterial partners, including those from the Global South, which covers the Asia-Pacific region, as equals and is committed to working with each and every one to advance the Chinese vision for the building of a shared prosperous future for mankind.
“As the Department for Americas and Oceania of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are the department dealing with United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and all the Pacific Island Countries.
“There are 14 independent Pacific Island States. Some are territories that are not fully developed as independent states like French Polynesia.
“Our policy on Pacific Island Countries has been a longstanding consistent policy. This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Fiji and also 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Samoa, 49th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Papua New Guinea, 43rd anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Vanuatu, 28th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Cook Islands and 27th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Tonga.
“Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tonga were the first countries that established diplomatic ties with China. Later on, during the course of the last 50 years, we established bilaterial relations with more of the 14 independent Pacific Island States.
“Our [foreign] policy principle, a long-standing policy, is based on our vision for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
“We see all countries, either big or small, either developed or developing, as equally important members of the global community and that each country has the right to determine its development pathway according to its national conditions, and only by respecting the sovereignty of each country in deciding its development pathway and assisting it accomplish its development goal can the world be a better place for all,” Mr Gu emphasized.
“China sees that by helping others, it is also helping itself. China, in the last 50 years, has implemented development projects in the Pacific Islands region within its capability and promoted people-to-people exchanges. So, we are happy to see that we have contributed a lot to the development of the region.”
Mr Gu said as members of the Global South, China and Pacific Island Countries have a lot of common understanding and common interests.
“China stands with all the developing countries. Our policy speaks out for developing countries, especially for medium-sized and small-sized countries. This is the tradition of our Foreign Policy.”
“In turn, we also appreciate these countries’ support to China on issues such as climate change and the global trade system,” Mr Gu added.
Other Pacific Island Countries with diplomatic relations with China are Niue, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru and Solomon Islands.
Mrs Oso, in her presentation, highlighted the tangibility of China’s development assistance in Solomon Islands since its establishment of diplomatic relations with China in September 2019.
She said what makes ChinaAid effective is that it has been strategically designed to help developing countries address their development needs and moreover, the overarching goal of the Chinese vision for the building of a shared prosperous future for mankind.
Mrs Oso said Solomon Islands witnessed the successful implementation of ChinaAid-funded National Stadium Project, which enabled it to host the Pacific Games for the first time in 2023, Solomon Islands National University Dormitories project, which accommodated some of the contingents to the 2023 Pacific Games and now provides accommodation for the university’s students, the National Referral Hospital Comprehensive Medical Center project, which is the country’s first ever dedicated health facility offering specialized services in urology, cardiology and nephrology.
She added that China also deploys medical specialists to the National Referral Hospital to work alongside local doctors and these Chinese doctors also have a provincial visitation program, which allows them to provide their specialized services to Solomon Islanders living in the provinces.
Mrs Oso said an ongoing project funded by ChinaAid is the tar-sealing of the road network in the capital of Solomon Islands most populous province Malaita, while an ongoing crucial infrastructure project funded under the Belt and Road Initiative is the Solomon Islands National Broadband Infrastructure Project (SINBIP), which when completed will see the establishment of mobile towers in all Solomon Islands nine provinces, improving communication and establishing a conducive environment for both business and economic growth.
She said China also offers pre-service and in-service scholarships for Solomon Islanders to undertake studies at various Chinese universities and furthermore, China provides specialized short trainings for public servants and private sector employees in China.
She also acknowledged China’s exchange program for international journalists, describing it as important initiative that allows journalists to visit and experience the real China and report the truth about it to the world.
Mrs Oso likened the visits to different institutions, including state-owned enterprises, and historical sites and lectures that she participated in as part of the exchange program to the different pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that when put together in their designated positions display a beautiful picture of China’s successful pathway of modernization.
She said she first visited China in 2004 and it was a different China then, where poverty and despair were evident on the streets but on her second visit in 2025, she saw a totally different China where people enjoy a high standard of living and people’s faces radiate with joy and patriotism and is amazed to witness the transformation.
“I am totally amazed at how China was able to achieve transformation within a very short span of time and my participation in this exchange program opened my eyes to the secret behind your success, which is your governance system – Democracy with Chinese Characteristics. This system of governance is based on Chinese Culture, which embraces family intactness, filial piety, meekness, respect and harmony and it has proven its effectiveness,” Mrs Oso said.
Mr Lea from TBC in his presentation highlighted that Tonga established diplomatic relations with China in 1998 and China has shown commitment to supporting Tonga’s development.
He said at the beginning of this year, China completed the construction of a Sport Center, which comprises a stadium and also rugby field and tennis court.
Mr Lea said China also provides training for Tongan government officials in China an all these assistances are a manifestation of the growing Tonga-China relations.
He debunked the negative western media narrative about China, adding that “this is my first time in China. When I arrived here on this training, I said to myself that this China is not the type of China the western media is talking about.”
Mr Albie, in his presentation, highlighted that since Vanuatu established diplomatic relations with China in 1982, China provided support across different sectors, including infrastructure.
He said a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of road tar-seal in West Ambae funded by China was held this week.
Mr Albie said when Vanuatu was struck by the 7.5 magnitude earthquake in 2024, China also intervened with support.
“So, the relationship between Vanuatu and China is a fruitful one,” he added.
Mr Albie expressed gratefulness for participating in China’s exchange program for international journalists.
He said his participation in the program allows him to see first-hand China’s technological and infrastructural advancement and also embracement of its history and culture.
Mr Kumar, in his presentation, highlighted the depth and fruitfulness of the Fiji-China relations.
“This bilateral relationship has come a really long way and we are really thankful for China’s support and policies, which not only empowers but provides a sustainable means of lifestyle.
“China was not only able to support us in terms of infrastructures as roads and bridges, but has also been able to support us in social cohesion as well.”
Mr Kumar said Fiji has also benefited from the BRI, highlighting that “Fiji was one of the first countries from the Pacific to sign up. So, we have been able to benefit from that, as well as cultural and language exchanges. We have Confucius Institute at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Fiji.”
He said Fiji has a very vibrant youth population and recently, the Chinese Ambassador in Fiji through ChinaAid was able to support women with the provision of sports equipment to assist them participate in extracurricular and sports competition so they can go on to represent Fiji in regional and international sport arenas.
Mr Kumar said Fiji also benefits from seminar trainings in China, adding that such training programs allow Fijians to visit China and have a totally new perspective about China.
“Just two weeks ago, two colleagues from other media organizations in Fiji were here in China to attend a seminar. They also got to experience China even though for only two weeks. I met them a few days ago and their perspective of China has also changed. They were surprised at how far China has come and how different China is from western bias and western perspective.
“I would also say the same thing as well because I have been here since the end of February for this program. I think just within the first week, I gave up on some of the stereotypes or perhaps perspectives that have been ingrained in me by western media, western bias and even through stories and narratives that western democracies seem to have about China. It is truly is an eye-opening experience for me to see China’s development, policies, and governance first hand.
“We also visited few media organizations as well and did an internship with CGTN (China Global Television Network) and it was quite eye-opening as well to see how the Chinese media plays a big role as well in development and promoting government policies and assisting people, not in just informing them but also providing solutions to how they can improve their lives personally and collectively,” Mr Kumar said.
Mr Teerua and Mrs Depoudu, in their presentations, also acknowledged the diplomatic relations between Nauru and China that was established in 2024.
They said within the short span of time since the establishment of the Nauru-China diplomatic relations, many Nauru public servants attended training in China and are looking forward to seeing fruitful outcomes from this bilateral cooperation.
Both Teerua and Mrs Dupoudu spoke highly of the exchange program hosted by China for international journalists, saying it gave them great insights into China’s successful modernization and it is something that developing countries, including Nauru should learn from.
PHOTO CAPTION: Director of the Pacific Island Division, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry on Foreign Affairs Gu Xinqiang (center) with the six Pacific Islands journalists. From left: Mika Albie, Raymond Teerua, Bernadette Depoudu, Deli-Sharon Oso, Nikhil Kumar and Girvan Lea.
