On 30 April, 2019, Ambassador Chao Xiaoliang published a headline article titled "Belt and Road initiative injects New Vitality to China-Samoa Cooperation" on "Samoa Observer", a major English-Samoan bilingual newspaper in Samoa. Here is what Ambassador Chao writes:
Belt and Road initiative injects New Vitality
to China-Samoa Cooperation
(By Chinese Ambassador to Samoa H.E. Mr. Chao Xiaoliang)
On 1 April, the 2019 China-Pacific Island Countries Tourism Year was launched in Samoa. As the new Chinese Ambassador to Samoa, I accompanied Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. LUO Shugang on his visits to some of the famous tourist attractions in Samoa such as Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, Samoa Cultural Village and To Sua Trench. Together with us are journalists from major Chinese media agencies and big Chinese travel agents. The picturesque sceneries, splendid culture and friendly people of Samoa have enchanted all of us.
Soon afterwards, growing interest in Samoa formed a wave of “Samoan heat” in Chinese media, Internet and social media. More and more Chinese people try to know more about Samoa and search for Samoa’s travel information. According to the statistics from the leading Chinese travel service platform--mafengwo.cn, with the launch of the 2019 China-Pacific Island Countries Tourism Year, Chinese tourists’ interest in the Pacific has grown rapidly, among which interest in Samoa has grown by 132 percent, and interest in the PNG, Fiji and Tonga has grown by over 70 percent. In April alone, major Chinese travel agencies like China Travel Service has organized several group tours to Samoa. Deeply impressed by the beauty of Samoan landscapes and friendly people, the Chinese tourists have reported a high rate of satisfaction after the tours.
All this is attributable to the vision and persistent effort by the leaders of our two countries. Last September, Prime Minister Tuilaepa visited China and had separate meetings with President Xi Jinping and Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang. During this visit, China and Samoa signed MOU on jointly building the Belt and Road Cooperation, making Samoa one of the first Pacific countries to sign this important document with China. The launch of the 2019 China-Pacific Island Countries Tourism Year in Samoa and the exchanges and cooperation between the tourism industries of our two countries are not only concrete measures to implement the important consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and Pacific Island leaders in their PNG meeting last November, but also the exciting early harvest of the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Samoa.
Since its inception in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has received strong endorsement and warm support from the world at large. A total of 126 countries and 29 international organizations have signed relevant cooperation documents with China so far. The Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has just concluded in Beijing, with the theme of "Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future". Nearly 40 leaders of foreign states and governments and some 5000 representatives from more than 150 countries and many international organizations attended this major event.
The BRI has been warmly received by the international community with world-wide participation. I think the reason behind is that as an embodiment of the traditional Chinese wisdom--a man of virtue will seek to establish others while establishing himself, it is in line with the global trend of peace and development, and upholds the golden principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. More importantly, it has brought real benefits to the countries and people along the BRI. The total trade volume between China and the BRI countries has exceeded $US6 trillion, with more than $US80 billion having been invested. The 82 cooperation parks jointly built by China and other participation countries have created about 300,000 jobs and tax revenue worth of over $US2 billion for host countries. The latest studies by the World Bank and other international institutions indicate that the BRI cooperation will cut the cost of global trade by 1.1 percent to 2.2 percent, and increase the growth rate of the 2019 global economy by at least 0.1 percent.
As remarked by Chinese President Xi Jinping, "the BRI may be China's idea, but its opportunities and outcomes are going to benefit the world”. The BRI has brought new development opportunities to Samoa and other Pacific Island countries. According to a World Bank study, the BRI will increase the GDP of East Asian and Pacific developing countries by 2.6 to 3.9 percent on average. There is huge potential and great prospects for China-Samoa cooperation under the BRI framework, especially in terms of environmental protection, ecological protection, climate change, infrastructure building, Information technology, cultural exchanges, tourism, education, health and agriculture. The Chinese Embassy in Samoa will continue to work closely with all sectors of the Samoan government for broader and more in-depth practical cooperation. I believe the high quality cooperation results we produce jointly will inject steady, inexhaustible vitality to the China-Samoa Comprehensive Strategic Partnership featuring mutual respect and common development.