Delegation from the National People's Congress of China Successfully Visited Tonga ^Featured

During the visit, Vice Chairman Ailigeng held talks with Lord Tu'ivakano, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, had a group meeting with the Members of Parliaments of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, and met with Honorable 'Akilisi Pohiva, Prime Minister of Tonga.

The two sides had exchanges of views on further developing China-Tonga relations and major international and regional issues of common interest.

At the meetings, Vice Chairman Ailigeng said that President Xijinping and leader of Tonga reached consensus on building a strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development, which has charted the course for the China-Tonga relations.

The Chinese side is ready to work with Tongan side and earnestly implementing the above important consensus by expanding contacts at high and various levels between the two countries, deepening exchanges and cooperation in agriculture, fishery, tourism, clean energy, infrastructure and other fields to move forward the China-Tonga relations and benefit two peoples.

Honorable Speaker Lord Tu'ivakano and Prime Minister Pohiva commended China for its great achievements in development and expressed gratitude for China's valuable support and assistance to the economic and social development of Tonga over the years.

They said Tonga is committed to adhering to the One China policy, strengthening cooperation in various fields and conducting more cultural and people to people exchanges with China in a bid to enhancing mutual understanding and mutual trust and consolidating and developing the existing friendly relations of cooperation between China and Tonga.

In the evening of January 18, the Chinese Embassy in Tonga hosted a dinner for the delegation and the Members of Parliaments of Tonga. Honorable Speaker Lord Tu'ivakano, Prime Minister Pohiva and more than ten cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament attended the dinner.

His Excellency Huang Huaguang,Chinese Ambassador to Tonga pointed out in his speech that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Tonga have had frequent exchanges between governments and parliaments, deepened mutually-beneficial cooperation in all areas with constant progress in economy, trade and pragmatic cooperation and more and more active people to people exchanges.

Further deepening bilateral relations serves the common interests of the people of China and Tonga, which are both developing countries. He believed that with the concerted efforts of both sides, the friendly relationship between China and Tonga will make greater progress.

Vice Chairman Ailigeng said that since the diplomatic relations were established, the China-Tonga relations have been progressing well. The two countries have attained new new achievements in friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation in all fields, which has become a new example for the development of relations between China and the pacificisland countries. China is ready to work with the parliament of Tonga to enhancing exchanges and deepening understanding and make contribution to the development of China-Tonga relations.

Honorable Speaker Lord Tu'ivakano said during the past twenty years since the diplomatic ties were established especially over the past ten years, the development of relations between Tonga and China have kept a strong momentum.

The cooperation between China and Tonga and the assistance provided to Tonga by China have boosted the national construction and improvement of people's livelihood of Tonga. Tonga stands ready to strengthen cooperation and build strategic partnership with China in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit to realize common prosperity and security.

During the visit, the delegation also attended the dinner and luncheon respectively hosted by Prime Minister Pohiva and Speaker Lord Tu'ivakano and visited the Vaini community and had interactions and exchanges with the local people. The delegation also inspected the St. George Palace Project aided and constructed by China.

This visit is an important high-level exchange between the parliaments of China and Tonga and between the two two countries. It is of great significance to further enhancing mutual understanding, expanding consensus and deepening cooperation between China and Tonga.

-PRC's Embassy Tonga