Bainimarama Off On Beijing Olympics & China Jaunt

PM Bainimarama looks forward to Beijing Olympics and China visit

6 August 2008 - Prime Minister Commodore Bainimarama will tomorrow (6/8) lead a Fiji delegation to attend the Opening Ceremony of 2008 Beijing Olympics.

He will be accompanied by Minister for Education, Youth & Sports Filipe Bole and his Permanent Secretary Subhas Chandra.

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama is looking forward to attend the 27th Olympics in Beijing China and also visit industries and projects of interest to Fiji.

"There is scope for growing our bilateral relations through trade, investment, education, sports and cultural exchange and seizing these opportunities will ultimately improve the standard of living for our people. The newly established Fiji/China Business Council is one of the new initiatives which aims to further build on the trade and economic ties between Fiji and China.

The Interim Government is looking forward to working together to meet shared challenges and build prosperity for both Fiji and the People's Republic of China based on our mutual trust, friendship and growing bilateral co-operation."

China being the host nation, is planning one of the most spectacular opening ceremonies with the theme "One Nation One Dream".

The opening ceremony is being planned as a grand event to enhance mutual understanding and harmonious co-existence between athletes and visitors from around the world and leaders from various countries have been invited to attend ceremony.

PM Bainimarama said he was grateful for the Chinese Government for the invitation to witness this event and also to pursue trade, tourism and investment interests for the benefit of Fiji.

The Fiji-China link has evolved from trade and investment to education and training, where a significant number of Fiji locals have had the opportunity to study in China over the years.

Following the opening ceremonies, the Fiji Embassy in China has planned a programme for the Prime Minister to visit industries of interest to Fiji, in particular the Ethanol industry and Waste Conversion to Energy Projects.

He will see how High Quality Paper is made from Bagasse and also building boards similar to Masonite for the building industry. The Bagasse from our four Sugar mills are presently being burnt to create energy, and may be a waste of this valuable resource. Guangxi Province whose capital is Nanning is known as the Green Province of China and everything that grows there can be grown in Fiji. The range and breadth of vegetables grown there if duplicated in Fiji would save Fiji the millions we spend in Australia and New Zealand in terms of imports.

Scheduled is a bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Chinese President HE Hu Jintao is expected to host a state luncheon banquet in which Commodore Bainimarama will attend amongst other leaders and dignitaries at the Olympics.

He will also meet companies associated with Chinese Soft Loan projects to Fiji such as housing and infrastructure.
Commodore Bainimarama will attend a Fiji Night reception organised by Fiji Embassy where he is expected to meet various Chinese businessmen, Politicians and Industrialists to explore opportunities for investments in other areas such as agriculture, manufacturing and tourism.

PM leaves Fiji on Wednesday 6/8 and returns on Friday 15/8. During the period of his absence, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, the Minister for Defence, National Security and Immigration would be the acting Prime Minister.

ENDS

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