Nauru's President David Adeang praised China's environmental protection achievements and rapid modernization during his recent trip to China, pledging to deepen bilateral cooperation.
The trip marked his return to his ancestral hometown of Jiangmen in Guangdong Province, where he honored his family heritage and highlighted the growing people-to-people ties between the Pacific island nation and China.
The five-day homecoming visit, which started on Sunday, was his second trip to the southern Chinese city in just seven months.
Adeang and his family were warmly welcomed in Jiangmen as they traced their ancestral roots. His great-grandfather's former residence still stands in the ancient town of Chikan, where, more than a century ago, his forefathers left for Southeast Asia in search of a livelihood before eventually settling in Nauru.
While touring picturesque Jiangmen, Adeang praised China’s commitment to environmental protection, highlighting a side of the country that contrasts with its bustling urban landscapes.
"This is a different side of Jiangmen I didn't see before. Because when we come and visit China, it's the big cities, it's the big lights and the factories. They've been looking after this area for generations, for hundreds of years. Quite illuminating to see people care so much for their environments. To care for environment means that you also care for the future generations," he said.
Expressing confidence in the promising prospects for bilateral cooperation, Adeang said his government is considering introducing Chinese language classes into Nauru's education system.
"The world is going that way or you get left behind. We don't want to get left behind. That's why we are in this relationship. This is where the world is going," he said
While in Jiangmen, Adeang visited a local solar panel factory to explore ways to make full use of Nauru's abundant sunlight.
The president thanked China for installing solar-powered streetlights in Nauru and for providing lettuce seedlings from Jiangmen -- the first ever grown in his country.
"If you came to Nauru, you'll see that most of Nauru now is lit up, because of the solar lights from Jiangmen. I'm very proud, very proud. Every time I go on the road to see these streetlights from my ancestral homeland lighting up Nauru. I planted the first lettuce in the hydroponics, first time we've grown lettuce in Nauru," he said.
Adeang said he wanted to learn more about Jiangmen, adding that he was emotionally moved to visit the city where his family roots trace back generations.
"I just want to get to know Jiangmen more, but maybe it will require more and more visits. Many generations ago, my family came from here and that's what makes it even more -- I guess -- moving for me. I regret that my mother's not here and that's why it's also quite moving for me. But I know somewhere she's looking down and she feels happy that I remember her well enough to look for our roots here," he said.
Nauru's president vows to strengthen ties with China during visit to ancestral hometown
South China's Guangdong Province is accelerating its transformation into an international medical tourism hub, positioning itself as a destination for patients worldwide seeking affordable, high-quality care.
The push follows a joint initiative announced in late March by nine Chinese government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, aimed at boosting spending by foreign tourists and enhancing exports of tourism services as part of broader efforts to expand the country's service sector.
Every day, some of the most complex surgeries are performed here. Li Zilun, deputy director of the division of vascular surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, is among the doctors capable of carrying out these intricate procedures.
He recently completed surgery on a patient with an aortic aneurysm, a condition often described as a "time bomb" in the body’s main artery, increasingly common in aging societies around the globe. Li also specializes in highly difficult and pioneering procedures, including repairing leaks caused by failed grafts.
"This was a very challenging case. And then, we implanted the covered stent to eliminate the endoleak. Actually, the outcome was pretty good. The patient will be discharged today," said Li Zilun.
The ability to handle such complex cases -- combining international techniques with domestically produced devices -- is drawing patients from around the world to seek treatment. In addition, high safety standards and low costs are also major draws.
"Our government is encouraging innovation. So, lots of physicians -- including our vascular surgeons -- we are actively involved in the innovation that helps to increase the effectiveness and safety, and also bring down the cost," said Li.
This hospital is one of the first in Guangdong to be designated by the provincial health commission as a pilot site for building an international medical service hub.
The growing number of patients has pushed the hospital to explore new ways to transform every step -- from treatment to payment and everything in between -- into a seamless experience, reducing waiting times and delivering better care for patients.
"I think it's fast. When the patient come here for just about, I think, one week, you can solve the problem," said Xiao Haipeng, president of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.
The hospital is also deepening its international cooperation with top-tier medical institutions, including those at Harvard University.
"Not just for China, for the whole globe, we are facing health care challenges -- emerging infectious disease and chronic, lung infectious diseases, and also the aging population, also the shortage of healthcare workforce," said Xiao.
In response to these challenges, China is promoting its own solutions, including aggressive innovation in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven workflows, while stepping up research and development investment and global engagement along the way.
"In recent years, the innovation in Western medicine is dramatically growing. An example of my hospital -- in the past few years, we have 140 innovations and seven of them are international leading innovations," said Xiao.
As global demand for medical tourism grows, China is positioning itself as a new destination. Official data shows that the number of foreign patients in Guangdong increased by 20 percent last year. Among them, the growth in inpatient admissions was even faster, rising by 76 percent.
Guangdong fast-tracks pilot for int'l medical service hub
