PNG PM Marape has hailed his recent Chinese Visit a successful one

 Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape has hailed his recent Chinese Visit a successful one. He expressed satisfaction on the comprehensive outcomes of this visit, which resets, reaffirms and strengthens PNG's strong relations with China. He said this, following his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in an historic Saturday evening virtual meeting.

During this meeting the two Leaders reaffirmed and announced a significant list of deliverables which included:

(1) Protocol on Inspections, Quarantine and Phytosanitary requirements for Wild Marine Fishing Aquatic products from PNG to be exported to China;

(2) Protocol of Quarantine and Hygiene Requirements for Edible Aquatic Animals from PNG to be exported to China;

(3) MoU between Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock;

(4) Signed Exchange of Letters on China Aid Juncao Technical and Upland Rice Technology Corporation Project to PNG Phase 2;

(5) Signing of Government Concessional Loan on PNG Power 132 KVA Grid Project Second Phase from Mt Hagen to Yonki;

(6) Completion of China/PNG Free Trade Agreement Joint Feasibility Study and Commencement of Negotiations;

(7) Agreement to Convene in 2022 the Second Session of the China/PNG Joint Economic and Trade Committee Meeting;

(Completion in 2022, the China/PNG aided Anti-Narcotics Laboratory in PNG;

(9) Commemoration in 2022, the 20th Year of China Medical Team visits to PNG; and

(10) Inauguration in 2022 the China/PNG Friendship Centre of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Port Moresby General Hospital.

"These are significant Deliverables to a very productive, albeit short Visit to China. These Deliverables present market opportunities, growth in economic cooperation, future opportunities in trade and some very specific projects".

"The future eventuality of a Free Trade Agreement between China and Papua New Guinea will be significant. It will be our first from a country to country perspective. Today's Inauguration of the commencement of negotiations following the completion of the feasibility study is a significant step".

Prime Minister Marape also announced that Hon.Kerenga Kua and Managing Director of Kumul Petroleum, Wapu Sonk had a very important virtual meeting with SINOPEC a leading Chinese Petroleum and Gas Company that presently buys gas from PNG LNG.

This virtual meeting was held under the Chinese Leadership instructions with the view to pick up more gas from Papua LNG and other gas fields like P'nyang. Prime Minister Marape noted significant interest on the part of SINOPEC to have long-term business in the LNG sector, particularly for future upstream and downstream opportunities".

Minister for Fisheries Hon. Dr Lino Tom and Manus Governor Hon. Charlie Benjamin also had a virtual meeting with a Chinese Fishing Company to discuss partnerships with PNG Provincial Governments and companies in the area of primary industries and downstream processing.

"These are serious intentions to help secure investment interest for the sector, supporting the 10-year fisheries development plan that the Government launched last year".

Hon.William Samb Minister for Commerce and Industry and Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu were also part of the entourage with the latter expressing satisfaction for the Juncao Agriculture Technology for receiving second phase support, a project the President Xi Jinping started in 1998 when he was Governor of Fujian Province.

Gone are the days when we go and ask for foreign aid. Gone too will be the days when we continue to export our raw materials to third party buyers. We want to bring technology and industrial business partnerships with our country to do finished products in and along the footprints of our power lines and connect PNG infrastructures for our primary produce to be processed into finished products that we can sell to international including the lucrative Asian and Chinese markets.

Prime Minister Marape has been saying this to all our bilateral partners for the last two years and looks forward to early investors to pick up space in our agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors in partnership with local companies who are already in these sectors of our economy. The China visit is to push strongly for investors with market links. We were able to kill two birds with one stone on this visit.

"We have been saying that we must stop exporting raw materials in their primary stages. After 46 years, we must now move specifically into downstream-based production industries and the trip to China was to push to that stage with a two-pronged approach by securing downstream partners and linking to international consumer markets and that is what the Chinese economy presents, both investor and market".

Prime Minister Marape thanked the Minister's and Governors who accompanied him on this visit to China.

"These are part of my generation Leaders who believe in taking PNG back from people who have not empowered our people by making highly critical long-term economic decisions to add value to our resources. As a country, we need to move into downstream processing of all our resources which  contribute substantively to the economic independence we are seeking".

On a personal front Premier Li informed Prime Minister Marape that he had many fond memories of Papua New Guinea, having visited in 2008. He described Papua New Guinea as a friend of China, noting PNG's consistency in the "One China Policy", since entering into formal diplomatic ties on 12th October 1976.

"It is important for China to recognize the resilient bilateral relations that our two countries have for over 40 years. Papua New Guinea is a true friend of China.

Prime Minister Marape was satisfied that he had the opportunity to reaffirm the strong bilateral relationship between our two countries since the formalisation of diplomatic rations in1976.

Prime Minister Marape will now abort the French leg of this trip due to COVID-19 restrictions, having returned a positive test result upon arrival in Beijing last Thursday evening. He returns to Papua New Guinea on 06th February 2022.

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