Fiji is keen to explore collaboration opportunities with China in areas such as ecological conservation, sustainable aquaculture, and fish farming to enhance its fisheries development. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made these remarks during his visit to Ninghai Village in Ningde, Fujian Province, as part of his tour in China.
Ninghai, located in the Lumen Port area, is home to around 300 families, totaling over 1,000 residents, who primarily rely on marine aquaculture for their livelihoods. The village also attracts tourists, which helps supplement the income of the locals.
Rabuka noted that the successful fish farming operations in the Lumen Bay area of Ningde serve as a model for effective poverty alleviation initiatives in Fujian, enhancing community livelihoods and contributing to the broader economy. He emphasized that Fiji’s coastal communities and fisheries sector could significantly benefit from adopting marine fish farming practices, advocating for closer collaboration with the People’s Republic of China.
The Prime Minister stressed that such partnerships would promote sustainable aquaculture practices, support marine and ecological conservation, and facilitate knowledge-sharing and capacity building between the fisheries sectors of Fiji and China.
During his visit, Rabuka learned that Ninghai Village has successfully transitioned from poverty to becoming a thriving community, with an annual collective economic income surpassing ¥1 million. The village aims to emerge as the leading tourism destination in Ningde City, with plans to invest over ¥17.5 million in developing visitor service centers, recreational facilities, and lodging options, among other projects.