Fiji is looking to explore collaboration opportunities with China in ecological conservation, sustainable aquaculture, and fish farming to enhance its fisheries sector development. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who is on a tour of China, made this statement during his visit to Ninghai Village in Ningde, Fujian Province.
Ninghai, situated in the Lumen Port area, is home to 300 families and more than 1,000 residents who rely on marine aquaculture as their main source of income. The village also attracts tourists, which helps supplement the locals’ earnings.
Rabuka noted that the well-managed fish farms in the Lumen Bay area are a prime example of an effective poverty alleviation initiative in Fujian that improves community livelihoods and contributes positively to the economy.
He pointed out that Fiji’s coastal communities and fisheries sector could gain significantly from adopting marine fish farming methods and underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation with China.
The Prime Minister emphasized that such collaboration would promote sustainable aquaculture, marine and ecological conservation, as well as enhance knowledge-sharing and capacity building between the fisheries sectors of Fiji and China.
During his visit, Rabuka learned that Ninghai Village has transformed from poverty to a thriving community, with its annual collective income surpassing ¥1 million. The village aims to become the leading tourism destination in Ningde City and plans to invest over ¥17.5 million in building visitor service centers, recreational facilities, and accommodations, among other developments.