Papua New Guinean FM highlights education project with China on enhancing friendship

Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko highlighted an education program partnered with China when speaking about forging closer people-to-people relations between the two countries in an interview.

Speaking at a panel interview session with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of the Third China-Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in east China's city of Xiamen on Wednesday, Tkatchenko spoke positively about his country's cooperation with China at all levels.

"We've seen some really great projects come forward with our partnership with China and also our sister city relationships with Shenzhen and with other provinces like Guangdong [Shenzhen City in Guangdong and other Chinese provinces] that have really inspired to bring our two countries closer together," he said. On people-to-people exchanges, Tkatchenko spoke of a school project funded by China as a key bridge to connect the two peoples, while providing thousands of Papua New Guineans with quality education each year.

"The people to people relationship between China and Papua New Guinea is very important. And it has come out through an investment into a school called Butuka Academy which is a school of excellence and a friendship school between China and Papua New Guinea which educates over 3,000 Papua New Guineans every year from elementary, primary to high school. It's a state-of-the-art school as well," said Tkatchenko.

Noting that the secondary school and primary school of the Butuka Academy are teaching Chinese classes, the minister proudly said that some of the students there can speak Chinese as fluently as native speakers.

"It has become a great success since the construction of that school and the opening of the school by the Chinese President in 2018. Now that shows you the dedication and the will and the need of partnership in this sector, which has really enhanced our relationship with China in our future generations. And that's going to be going on for a long, long time. And we look forward to the other projects as well, in health, and also in infrastructure development, roads and hotels and many other things that China's private sector and government have contributed to," he said.

Papua New Guinean FM highlights education project with China on enhancing friendship

China's consumer goods trade-in programs generated 1.54 trillion yuan (about 230 billion U.S. dollars) in sales as of Sunday, benefiting 206 million consumers nationwide, official data showed Monday.

Across the country, 27 provincial-level regions have rolled out subsidy policies for their locally produced product categories, which has boosted sales of 2.286 million related items.

Benefiting from these policies, the potential of commodity consumption continues to be unlocked, with purchases of green and smart products maintaining a steady growth momentum.

In the first seven months of this year, the retail sales of high-energy-efficiency home appliances by enterprises above the designated size increased by over 30 percent year on year, and sales of smart glasses and action cameras on major platforms also grow rapidly.

The market penetration rate of new energy passenger vehicles has exceeded 60 percent for four consecutive months.

China rolled out the subsidies in 2024 as part of a broader consumer goods trade-in program covering a wide range of products, including automobiles, smartphones and household appliances. The initiative has played a key role in boosting market confidence and stimulating domestic demand.

China trade-in programs generate 1.54 trln yuan sales, benefit 206 mln consumers