Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has praised China’s efforts in rural revitalization during his ongoing official visit to the country. This week, Rabuka visited a border area in southwest Yunnan Province, expressing his desire for bilateral collaboration with local authorities on rural development initiatives.
In an interview with CGTN, Rabuka shared his admiration after viewing photographs of a village from 1992 compared to its current state. “That is 32 years. I was Prime Minister of Fiji in 1992, and I’m Prime Minister again now. But nowhere in Fiji have we seen any improvement as close to what we have seen here. So I congratulate the past and current Chinese leaders, particularly President Xi Jinping, for their commitment to reducing poverty and improving the living standards of people in disadvantaged areas, especially among ethnic minority groups.”
On Tuesday, Rabuka arrived in Malipo, a county located on the China-Vietnam border, where he inspected two villages—Ping’anpo and Nanyou. He observed the progress made in rural revitalization, particularly in agricultural development, education, and cultural preservation.
Rabuka expressed his amazement at the significant transformations in these remote villages in such a short period. He is set to continue his 10-day tour of the People’s Republic of China.