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)