The Chinese Government is ready to explore new areas of trade with Fiji in an effort to take the current economic cooperation to another level.
Some of the key areas the authorities are interested to tap into includes tourism, education, agriculture and sports.
Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office, Luo Jun says the Guangdong province has achieved remarkable economic and social development in the recent decades and now its citizens are eager to explore the world beyond.
“People in this area love to eat, love to see, they love to have good food and they love to travel all over the world – so this is the market to be developed. From foreign affairs point of view we can provide advice, information from our archive or from your resources to show to the local people how beautiful it is.”
The province hosts Tourism Festival every year and Jun says this will give Fijian officials an opportunity to market Fiji.
Jun says apart from exploring our country the Chinese are also interested to learn our rugby skills.
“We can have exchange of sports teams. You are very strong in rugby, we are very low. Not many people. Not many people know the rules as it is not a popular game in Guangdong I’ll have to say – but this difference provides us the potential to learn from you.”
Jun says the two governments are in talks to introduce direct flights so that trade cooperation can be carried out smoothly.
Currently those travelling to China or Fiji are mainly transiting through Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea.
