Chinese President invites Pacific Leaders to meet ahead of APEC Summit in November

Papua New Guinea has conveyed the invitation of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to host a Summit with Pacific Leaders in Port Moresby ahead of the APEC Leaders conference in November.

The invitation was conveyed by PM Peter O’Neill when he addressed the Fijian Parliament in Suva today.

PM O’Neill said Pacific nations with diplomatic relations with China have been invited.

“The invitation from President Xi Jinping is for those Pacific countries that recognise the One-China policy. He has asked to meet with Pacific Leaders in Papua New Guinea before the APEC Leaders’ Summit, announced the PNG leader, who becomes only the second head of government to address the Fijian Parliament.

At the same time, O’Neill invited his Fijian counterpart, Voreqe Bainimarama to be one of the key speakers at the APEC CEO’s summit in Port Moresby.

“We are inviting your Prime Minister to address the CEO’s summit where we expect 9,000 delegates to attend. We see this as a great opportunity for the Pacific to let Asia know our potential and vulnerabilities.

“APEC is an enormous global trading bloc with half of the world’s trade and GDP. This provides an enormous opportunity for Pacific countries, particularly for Fiji and PNG, said PM O’Neill.

He has also invited Pacific Leaders to Port Moresby for the CEO’s and Leaders’ Summit in November. The APEC Leaders’ Summit will have the theme, “Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future”

“We want the Pacific to actively participate in this forum and highlight our issues to our Asian counterparts so they know that there is large community exists in this large Pacific Ocean that we live in.”

“We want the Pacific to benefit from opportunities from Asia. APEC countries which represent 21 economies representing the US, China, Russia, Canada, Japan etc have removed all trading barriers amongst themselves which have led to job growth, this is something that the Pacific can benefit from, said the PNG leader.

World leaders from the 21 most powerful economies that are members of APEC will meet in Port Moresby on 18 November.

SOURCE: PACNEWS