"Major Country Diplomacy" Respects Each Other and Develops Together – Interview with Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo

Beijing, 18 July (CNBC) -- According to the "60 Noon" report of the Voice of China of the Central Radio and Television Corporation, Fiji is located in the center of the southwest Pacific Ocean and is the first Pacific island country to establish diplomatic relations with China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Fiji in 1975, bilateral relations have developed steadily and cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results.

On June 24 this year, President Xi Jinping pointed out in a telephone conversation with Fijian Prime Minister Mbaynymarama that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 46 years ago, China-Fiji relations have developed tremendously, and an important experience is that the two sides have always supported each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. China respects Fiji's independent exploration of a development path suited to its national conditions and is willing to work with the Fiji side to push the China-Fiji comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, so as to better benefit the two peoples and jointly safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

On July 18, the special program "Great Power Diplomacy" launched "Mutual Respect and Common Development——— interview with Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo.

Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo (Source: Chinese Embassy in Fiji)

Reporter: Hello qianda, thank you for accepting our exclusive interview. Fiji is known to many of us Chinese people as a beautiful island country and a tourist destination, but it is not particularly well known. First of all, please tell us a little about fiji as a country, and how does Fiji impress you?

Qian Bo: First of all, thank you for this interview. Fiji is a small island nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean, with an area of 18,300 square kilometers, composed of 332 islands, known as the "pearl of the Pacific Ocean" and "paradise on earth", and is a world-renowned leisure resort. The Chinese translation of "Fiji" is very appropriate, "Fei" is a multicolored color in Chinese characters, and "Ji" means to cross the river and cross the river, and the combination of "Fiji" is exactly the impression of the Chinese people on this country: a beautiful country that can be reached by crossing the ocean. Fiji has a population of nearly 900,000, one of the characteristics of the Fijian people is optimistic, warm, simple and friendly, you often get the local people's active greeting "Bra", which is the Meaning of "Hello" in Fijian.

CNBC: On June 24 this year, President Xi Jinping pointed out in a telephone conversation with Fijian Prime Minister Mbayemarama that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 46 years ago, China-Fiji relations have developed tremendously, and an important experience is that the two sides have always supported each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. Ambassador Qian, what kind of development process has China-Fiji relations gone through, and how do you see the current and future development of China-Fiji relations?

Qian Bo: Fiji was the first Pacific island country to establish diplomatic relations with China. In the 46 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relations between the two countries have become increasingly close, and high-level exchanges have been frequent. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Mbayimama have met five times so far and just last month had a successful phone call. At the end of 2018, President Xi Jinping met collectively with the leaders of Pacific island countries that have established diplomatic relations in Papua New Guinea, upgrading China's relations with Fiji and other island countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in China-Fiji relations. The main feature of China-Fiji relations is mutual respect and common development. We in China have a saying called "Seeing the Truth in Hardships", and in the most difficult times in Fiji, China has always stood firmly with the Fijian people. At the same time, fiji's successive governments have generally been able to pursue a one-China policy and have also given valuable support to China on issues concerning China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and China's core interests. If we look back at the course that China-Fiji relations have traveled, it can be said that no matter how the international situation changes, friendship, mutual trust, cooperation and development have always been the main theme of China-Fiji relations.

Reporter: Ambassador Qian, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, so how can the embassy tell the story of China and the story of the Communist Party of China?

Qian Bo: To celebrate the centenary of the Party, the Embassy held a series of activities and carried out a variety of dialogues, exchanges and public diplomacy. Telling the story of China and the Chinese Communist Party well is an important mission and responsibility of our personnel stationed abroad. Since the beginning of this year, we have cooperated with China to hold the "China-Pacific Island Countries Political Party Dialogue", and the embassy has also held a "China's Achievements and Experience in Poverty Alleviation" media think tank briefing. We also published articles to share the story of China's successful prevention and control of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and the promotion of international cooperation against the epidemic, and we used the new media platform to face the Fijian people and encourage the Fijian people to understand the real Chinese Communist Party and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics from history with a more rational and objective attitude, and then understand a more real and three-dimensional China.

Reporter: Ambassador Qian, at present, what are the characteristics of economic and trade cooperation between China and Fiji? How is the two sides progressing in developing strategic docking and jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative?

Qian Bo: It should be said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Fiji economic and trade cooperation has flourished vigorously. According to our Chinese statistics, in 2020, the import and export trade volume of the two countries reached 346 million US dollars, which is nearly 150 times that of the beginning of the establishment of diplomatic relations. China has now become Fiji's third largest trading partner and largest source of foreign direct investment. With the in-depth promotion of the "Belt and Road" construction and the brand effect brought about by the China International Import Expo, more and more Fiji local products have entered the Chinese market, their popularity has been continuously improved, and their consumption potential has been continuously released. Fiji is an important economic and transportation hub in the Pacific island region, located in the southbound extension of the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road". In November 2018, the two governments formally signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. It is understood that the Fiji government has also set up a "Belt and Road" initiative coordination group. We believe that China and Fiji are both developing countries and have much in common. China is committed to seeking common development through mutually beneficial cooperation, and sincerely hopes that Fiji will develop faster and better. Therefore, China is willing to strengthen the docking of development strategies with the Fijian side and bring tangible benefits to the Fijian people.