PNG PM Marape welcomes outcomes of talks with China

 PNG Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has welcomed the outcome of talks between Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister His Excellency Wang Yi and Papua New Guinea Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Soroi Eoe in Port Moresby on Friday (June 3 2022).

The talks follow on from the visit by PM Marape to China in February this year where he held discussions with his Chinese counterpart His Excellency Li Keqiang.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in talks with PM Marape.

“This expanded on from my understanding with the Chinese Prime Minister when I was in China,” PM Marape said.

“For instance, in our fisheries, we’ve signed an MOU with China to enable our fisheries products to have access to the Chinese market.

“All our agriculture produce can have access to the Chinese market.

“It’s a big market – which is where my emphasis is.

“We also have other exchanges, where we have PNG students going to China, and Chinese technical people coming to assist us.”

The two Foreign Ministers on Friday agreed to seek greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Connect PNG Infrastructure Development Program 2020-2040, complete the feasibility study of the free trade agreement at an early date, and strengthen experience-sharing on the development of special economic zones.

The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in energy, fisheries, communications, health and other fields, and continue to well implement the China-Aided JUNCAO Technology and Upland Rice Technology Cooperation Project.

The two sides will tap the potential of cooperation in fields such as law enforcement and at sub-national levels. Efforts will be made to strengthen downstream processing cooperation in agriculture, forestry and fisheries to help PNG speed up industrialization and enhance its capacity for self-driven development.

After the talks, the two sides attended the signing ceremony of cooperation documents on pandemic response, disaster prevention and mitigation, and green development, among others.

The two sides also witnessed the inauguration of the China-aided Center of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Port Moresby General Hospital, and jointly met the press and answered questions.

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