Nauruan President David Adeang said that the shared ancestral roots discovered during his journey in China this month serve as a natural bridge that bolsters the ties between the two countries.
Adeang embarked on a four-day journey with his family in Jiangmen, south China's Guangdong Province, on July 6 to trace his ancestral roots in the country.
During an interview with China Media Group (CMG) while in Jiangmen, Adeang described this journey as deeply meaningful. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to President Xi Jinping for making his trip possible.
"Well, when I met President Xi Jinping last year in Beijing on the resumption of our diplomatic relations, I asked him a small personal favor, and that was to reconnect me with my ancestral roots here in China. So, I am here as this guest and I wouldn't be here without his assistance and support. President Xi Jinping made very big decisions, assigning all of this government to work as quickly and as efficiently as possible to make this day happen. I'm thankful, very grateful to President Xi Jinping for making this possible," Adeang said.
Upon verification by relevant authorities, it has been confirmed that Adeang's great-grandfather's ancestral home is the ancient Chikan town of Jiangmen. More than a century ago, Adeang's ancestors journeyed to Southeast Asia to seek livelihood before eventually settling in Nauru.
During his visit to Chikan, Adeang and his family took part in a traditional ancestral worship ceremony, honoring the customs of their ancestral home. Additionally, he planted a banyan tree -- a symbol of family prosperity -- and received a handful of soil from his ancestral roots.
"It is important to know our past, to know why we are, where we are, and then it will serve as a guide for our future. And because Nauru and China now enjoy healthy diplomatic relations, it is a wonderful bridge for our two countries to have between them. I think it is a unique honor and a unique privilege for head of state of Nauru to have this wonderful connection with these wonderful people of Chikan Village here in China," Adeang said.
Nauruan president lauds ancestral ties in China as bridge strengthening bilateral ties
