On September 17th, 2021, His Excellency Huang Zheng, Ambassador of China to the FSM, attended the handover ceremony of the China-Aid Pohnpei Secondary Road Project in Madolenihmw Municipality, Pohnpei State. About 60 guests were present, including His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the FSM, First Lady Patricia Edwin, the Honorable Esmond B. Moses, Vice Speaker of the 22nd FSM Congress, the Honorable Reed B. Oliver, Governor of Pohnpei State, the Honorable Stevick Edwin, Speaker of 10th Pohnpei State Legislature, the Honorable Kandhi A. Elieisar, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Carlson D. Apis, Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure, and His Majesty John A. Adolph, Iso Nahnken of Madolenihmw, along with Ms. Li Jiao, who is temporarily responsible for economic and trade affairs of the Chinese Embassy.
Beginning by extending warm congratulations on the completion and operation of the Pohnpei Secondary Road Project on behalf of the Chinese government and people, Ambassador Huang said that this project is a concrete action by the Chinese side to implement the Xi Jinping Thoughts on Diplomacy in an effort to build a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity. Huang said, whatsoever happens on the world arena, China always abides by the following principles and philosophy in terms of foreign aid and development cooperation: equal-footed treatment, win-win cooperation, keeping promises, seeking practical results, focusing on development, practicing the approach of teaching people how to fish, openness, inclusiveness, and mutual learning through communication. China’s foreign aid and development cooperation is thus welcomed and highly appreciated by the international community. Ambassador Huang pointed out that the essence of China’s foreign aid is for South-South cooperation, which is the sincerest and most selfless one. Huang said, when conducting foreign aid and development cooperation, China never interferes in other countries’ internal affairs, never attaches political precondition on its foreign aid and never seeks to be in a position to wantonly lecture others. On the contrary, China pursues the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit, extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefit.
Ambassador Huang emphasized that this year marks the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a political party that has noble feelings for the world. Huang said, under the guidance of the Xi Jinping Thoughts on Diplomacy, the CPC always takes making new and greater contributions to humanity as its mission, and is committed to fulfilling its responsibility as a major country to promote human progress. China firmly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace, advocates and actively promotes the building of a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity, and contributes by offering Chinese wisdom and solutions to poverty alleviation, climate change and other global issues. Ambassador Huang said that China resolutely opposes hegemony and bulling practice, promotes democracy and rule of law in international relations, pushing for the building of a new type of international relationship featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation. China’s development widens the path of modernization for developing countries, including the FSM. China will always be an advocate of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.
President Panuelo expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency Chinese President Xi Jinping, his dear friend, and the Chinese government and people on behalf of FSM government and people for the generous and selfless help provided by China during a long period of time. He said that the Pohnpei Secondary Road Project is the latest example of how the 32 years of the FSM-China Great Friendship results in tangible and visible benefits for FSM citizens. President Panuelo stressed that China’s aid stems from the FSM-China Great Friendship, based on the principle of honoring its word, pursuing equality and win-win cooperation, committing to openness, inclusiveness, and mutual learning, pursuing real results, while attaching no political strings, for which FSM government and people highly appreciate. He said that we share the same values as China in extending peace, friendship, cooperation, and building a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity.
In their remarks, Governor Oliver and Iso Nahnken Adolph appreciated China’s sincere and selfless aid for a long time, which, in their opinion, has played an important role in FSM’s sustainable development.
Ambassador Huang and Secretary Elieisar, on behalf of the PRC government and the FSM government, signed the handover certificate. According to local customs, First Lady of the FSM, First Lady of Pohnpei State, Mrs. Adolph and the wife of Ambassador Huang cut the ribbon. After the ceremony proper, President Panuelo and other guests took a tour of the newly completed secondary road.
