Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has praised China’s efforts in rural revitalization during his current official visit to the country. This week, Rabuka visited a border region in Yunnan Province, expressing his desire for enhanced bilateral cooperation on rural development with local officials.
In an interview with CGTN, he shared his admiration for the transformation of local villages by showcasing photos from 1992 compared to the present day. “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 significant as what we see here,” he stated. He extended his congratulations to past and present Chinese leaders, particularly President Xi Jinping, for their dedication to poverty alleviation and improving living standards, especially in disadvantaged areas inhabited by ethnic minorities.
On Tuesday, Rabuka visited Malipo County, located along the China-Vietnam border, and toured the villages of Ping’anpo and Nanyou. He observed the ongoing changes in agricultural development, education, and the preservation of cultural heritage in these areas. The Prime Minister expressed his astonishment at the rapid transformation of these remote villages.
Rabuka’s 10-day tour of the People’s Republic of China is ongoing.