Nauruan President David Adeang said his country has much to learn from China, not only in development but also in the values that have driven the nation's remarkable transformation.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Adeang, along with his family, visited Shenzhen, a high-tech hub in south China's Guangdong Province. The two-day tour gave him a close-up look at the city's vitality and innovation-driven growth, which he said left a strong impression.
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG), Adeang expressed hope to return to China with his family and the younger generation to gain deeper insights into what has propelled the country to global prominence.
"There is a lot that we can learn from China, not just us, the people in Nauru, but the world. I'm the president of Nauru. I think my job is to learn as much from China as we can, not just to obtain what support that they can give us for development, but just basic values as well. The things that drive the Chinese people to contribute so much to their society, to allow themselves to transform their whole society from hundreds of millions in poverty to one of the most developed countries in the world now. I want to learn about how a people can rise out of such difficulties and become leaders in the world. We are a small country, but I think we may find important lessons in that experience," said the president.
Adeang's Shenzhen trip followed a deeply personal journey to Jiangmen City, also in Guangdong, where he traced his ancestral roots. His great-grandfather once lived in Zhonggu village there before leaving for the Pacific more than a century ago.
Nauruan president seeks to draw from China's values, development experiences
