Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka on Tuesday toured a border county in southwest China's Yunnan Province, to learn more about China's rural revitalization.
Rabuka made the trip to Yunnan during his official visit to China from Aug 12 to 21.
On Tuesday afternoon, Rabuka arrived at Malipo from Kunming, capital of Yunnan. Malipo is a county sitting on the China-Vietnam border, with a population of approximately 240,000.
The county was once among the most impoverished areas in China. But through targeted policy support and a series of industrial development initiatives, Malipo shook off extreme poverty in 2020.
The Prime Minister toured two villages – Ping'anpo and Nanyou, where he learned how rural revitalization is taking place, in terms of specialty agriculture development, education and protection of ethnic culture.
"I was very impressed with the pictures they showed me of the village in 1992. I was Prime Minister of Fiji in 1992, and I’m Prime Minister again now. But nowhere in Fiji have we seen any improvement to be close to what we have seen here. So I congratulate the Chinese leaders of the past, particularly President Xi, for his political efforts at the time to alleviate poverty and to raise the standards of living of the people of China, particularly in those disadvantaged areas where the minority ethnic groups live," Rabuka said.
Rabuka also went to local villagers' homes to hear what changes they have experienced over the past years.
"We used to live in a tile-roofed house, a kind of fence house, which is different from the houses today. And there were only dirt roads in the village, which was quite narrow," said a local villager.
The Fiji leader said he expects to learn more during the rest of his trip in China.
"We have a lot to learn, and I have been making a lot of notes since I arrived on how we might be able to turn the little things in the villages into big things in the provinces and the nation," he said.
Fiji was the first Pacific Island country to establish diplomatic ties with China. Over the past five decades, the two countries have witnessed closer exchanges and cooperation across various fields.
During their meeting in San Francisco last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed China's readiness to enhance cooperation with Fiji in such areas as infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries and new energy, and expressed interest in importing more Fijian specialties.
Fiji's Prime Minister visits border county in Yunnan
A special cultural event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was held in Berlin, Germany on Saturday.
Titled "Written in the Sky: My China Story," the event was jointly organized by China Media Group (CMG), the Chinese Embassy in Germany, and the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education.
During the event, the John Rabe Communication Center, the German Burg Chinese Chorus, the Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, and the Federation of Germany-China Friendship Association officially joined the global partnership program of the "Written in the Sky: My China Story" campaign and were awarded certificates on Saturday.
The German Burg Chinese Chorus performed classic Chinese and German songs, including "On Wings of Song" and "Jasmine Flower." The Shenzhou-18 crew, currently in orbit, sent a video message from the space station and interacted with German teenagers.
The attendees of the event held in Berlin agreed that as the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative have gained increasing global support, China has not only brought opportunities to the world but also built bridges of friendship with people from various countries.
Attendees wrote their wishes for the PRC's 75th anniversary, expressing their commitment to continuing their stories with China to address global challenges and create a better future for humanity.
Shen Haixiong, president of CMG, stated that China aims to strengthen international people-to-people exchanges, promote dialogue among global civilizations, and enhance mutual understanding.
"We will portray the ultimate romantic warmth of Chinese culture, record the continuous legacy of human civilization, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind," said Shen.
Chinese Ambassador to Germany Deng Hongbo noted that both China and Germany have a profound cultural heritage, and their mutual appreciation and exchange of knowledge have been ongoing.
In an era of challenges, Deng emphasized the need for strengthened communication and cooperation, expressing hope that more young Germans will learn Chinese, develop an interest in Chinese culture, visit China, and become ambassadors of Sino-German friendship and exchange.
Nearly 200 attendees from various sectors, including politics, culture, diplomacy, economy, and trade, as well as young teachers and students, participated in the event.
Multiple mainstream European media, such as Italy's il Giornale and EU Reporter, covered the event, reaching a total audience of nearly 15 million in Europe.
Launched in March this year, the campaign “Written in the Sky: My China Story” has collected more than 1,600 stories from China and over 60 countries across the globe. It will also be held in other countries, including the U.S., Canada, Russia, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Nigeria.
Special event celebrating 75th anniversary of founding of PRC held in Berlin
