Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola today visited Guangzhou city in the province of Guangdong to meet with Chinese investors and officials from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister Kubuabola was hosted by Mr Qian Xuequan a prominent businessman in Guangzhou who has been appointed by Government to assist in the promotion of Fiji on a voluntary basis to potential investors from the province.
Mr Xuequan also has a registered business in Fiji that has an office in Guangzhou as well. During his visit, Minister Kubuabola also visited a piece of land that Mr Xuequan is planning to develop and build a high rise building that could also house a Fiji Consulate Office.
“Guangdong is a very special place for Fiji because this is the home of the first Chinese descendants that travelled to Fiji over 200 years ago. It is also special to us because it is the sister city of Suva”, Minister Kubuabola said.
“This province is the business hub of China. Last year, the GDP for the Guangdong alone was US$900 billion. The majority of Chinese outbound travellers are from this province. These show the amount of opportunities that is in this province which Fiji can take full advantage of,” he added.
During his visit, Minister Kubuabola also met Mr Zhang Weidong, the Deputy Director General of the Guangdong Foreign Affairs office to discuss developments in relations between Fiji and the province.
In line with the desire of both Governments to increase people to people exchange between their two countries, Minister Kubuabola was hosted to a reception where he emphasised the commitment by the Fijian Government to provide an investment friendly environment for all investors and also invited those present to visit Fiji when they can to see first-hand the opportunities that Fiji provides.
Minister Kubuabola will be leaving Guangzhou city tomorrow and was accompanied by Fiji’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Esala Teleni and other foreign affairs officials.
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