The Vanuatu Government signed seven different Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and Cooperation Agreements with the Chinese Government in the lead-up to the APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea.
The signing took place in Port Vila on Friday, 9 November 2018 and was officially announced by the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, during his bilateral meeting with Vanuatu delegates at the margin of the APEC meeting in Port Moresby.
It covered four MOUs, two framework agreements and one protocol agreement. The MOUs include: MOU on cooperation within the framework of “One Belt One Road” initiative; MOU on Human Resource Development Cooperation; MOU on Promoting friendly exchange between Guangdong Province and Vanuatu; and MOU on establishing the Joint Economic and Trade Commission between Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vanuatu and Ministry of Commerce of China.
The two framework agreements include: Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation and the Framework Agreement on Concessional Loan.
The final MOU is the protocol on remitting partial debts of government of Vanuatu.
The two agreements that are yet to be sign include Fisheries Cooperation Agreement and Air Service Agreement between Vanuatu and China.
By signing up to the One Belt One Road Initiative framework with the Chinese Government Vanuatu reaffirms its commitment to work with the Chinese Government in the implementation of BRI as well as an undertaking to increase level of cooperation between the two countries on an on – going basis.
The Chinese Leader told Prime Minister Salwai that in addition to the framework agreement on cooperation signed between the two governments China will also expand cooperation into areas such as Tourism and Climate Change.
He confirmed that China will encourage more Chinese tourists to visit Vanuatu and will support regional efforts to address climate change impact, encourage green low carbon and sustainable development.
In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Salwai thanked the Chinese Government and acknowledged that this is indeed another milestone achievement in the history of the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Indeed this has forged a strong strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development and thus heralding a new dynamic stage in our relations, said PM Salwai.
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[…] in particular and with Melanesians in General. In fact the Prime Minister of Vanuatu also signed 7 Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) with the Chinese President Xi Jinping some days before the APEC Summit. The Chinese President in […]