PNG, China relations strong

 PAPUA New Guinea has become the largest trading partner and the most important investment destination for China in the Pacific region, China’s Ambassador to PNG Li Ruiyou says.

He said this last Friday during a reception at the Chinese Embassy to farewell more than 30 students who will travel to China next month to undertake studies in various fields as part of the Chinese government scholarship programme.

“As this year marks PNG’s 40th independence anniversary, it is also the 39th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and PNG,” Li said. “Over the decades, our diplomatic relations have achieved great progress.”

He said last year, the total trade volume between PNG and China reached US$2 billion (K5.5bn) and this year it should increase as China would spend a huge sum of money to buy 2 million tonnes of PNG LNG.

“As developing countries, China and PNG are at the critical stage of economic and social development thus we have every reason 

to join hands for further cooperation of mutual benefits in the years to come,” Li said. He said for 

Papua New Guinea to become a powerful and advanced nation in the Pacific, it needed more educated and skilled professionals. Through such programmes as the Chinese Government scholarships, it was achievable.