In the Grand Mora Island in the northeast corner of Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, the first phase of the Grand Mora Island project undertaken by China Hengyi Petrochemical is under construction. In the future, this modern petrochemical industry base will help Brunei achieve industrial upgrading and get rid of dependence on resource exports. The picture shows the project site taken on November 17. Photographed by Wang Shen (Xinhua News Agency)

On November 16, President Xi Jinping held a collective meeting in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, with leaders of the Pacific island countries that have established diplomatic ties and representatives of the Fiji government. They exchanged views on deepening China's relations with the Pacific island countries, and agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development, creating a new situation of all-round cooperation. China has taken the initiative to open its market to island countries, expand investment and increase imports from island countries, and welcomes island countries to take the China Development Express. With the vigorous development of exchanges and cooperation between China and the Pacific island countries, the friendship between the two peoples has become more profound.

PNG is China's largest investment target in the Pacific island countries. According to statistics, in 2017, the trade volume between China and PNG was 2.836 billion US dollars, an increase of 24.4% over the previous year; China's direct investment in PNG is 44.47 million US dollars; Chinese enterprises signed new contract projects in PNG with a total value of 1.73 billion US dollars, and completed a turnover of 440 million US dollars... Chinese enterprises invested and started business in PNG, injecting new impetus into the local economy.

The island of New Guinea is the largest land part of Papua New Guinea, where mountains are crisscross, and inconvenient transportation has become a major bottleneck for economic development. The construction of the "Belt and Road" has brought timely rain to the development of island countries. Today, many infrastructure projects are under way in PNG. PNG Prime Minister O'Neill believes that the "Belt and Road" is a great initiative, which has promoted the level of infrastructure and benefited people in remote areas. PNG and many Pacific island countries can benefit from it.

"This modern highway bid farewell to the history of dusty dry season and muddy wet rainy season for people along the line." Fiji Prime Minister Mbanimalama sighed at the completion and opening ceremony of Nabwaru Expressway on Vanua Island, Fiji's second largest island. This 70 km highway is contracted by the Fiji Company of China Railway First Bureau. In the past, it took more than 4 hours to drive across the island. After the road was completed, it only took about 1 hour. "What we do in Fiji is more than just building roads and bridges." When talking about the company's projects, Wang Gang, the head of China Railway First Bureau Fiji Company, was as familiar as a book: dredging and dredging projects, housing projects, water supply and drainage pipe network upgrading projects... Since the company was founded nearly 10 years ago, it has won 28 projects in the South Pacific region. Up to now, the company has used more than 130 local management personnel in Fiji, and the number of local employees in the company headquarters has exceeded the number of Chinese employees.

Several South Pacific Regional Cooperation Organization secretariats and some international organizations' regional headquarters in South Pacific are located in Suva, the capital of Fiji. However, Suva currently has only two five-star hotels, which is far from meeting the actual needs.

Designed, invested, developed and constructed by Zhejiang Private Enterprise Wanguo Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd., the new landmark of Suva - Wanguo Friendship Plaza project has a total construction area of 46000 square meters, a total of 30 floors, and integrates standard five-star business hotel, senior office innovation center, international conference center, etc. Nitesi Narain, PR Director of the Pacific Island Countries Development Forum, said that the completion of the World Friendship Plaza will greatly ease the tension of high-end hotels in Suva. "The World Friendship Plaza project will create a large number of jobs and further promote the development of Fiji's tourism industry and economic growth." Barra, then the local government, housing, environment, infrastructure and transportation minister of Fiji, said at the project commencement ceremony.

(Our correspondent in Port Moresby, November 17, Liu Zhonghua, Qu Xiangyu, Li Feng, Zhao Cheng, Wang Yunsong, Liu Tianliang)

People's Daily (November 18, 2018, version 03)

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