Guangdong Province in China has supported three government ministries with the donation of ten motorcycles on 21 July 2023 as Solomon Islands and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) continues to strengthen their bilateral ties and practical cooperation.
PRC’s Embassy Office in Honiara facilitated the assistance.
Receiving ministries are; Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM).
Out of the ten, four were given to MRD while MAL and MECDM received three (3) each.
The support was part of the similar donation provided to the Guadalcanal Provincial Government (GPG) and the Honiara City Council (HCC) previously.
Speaking on behalf of the three ministries during a brief handover ceremony at the Chinese Embassy in Honiara, Permanent Secretary of MRD Dr Samson Viulu acknowledged Guangdong Province and the PRC government and its people for the wonderful gifts.
He also thanked the Chinese Ambassador to Solomon Islands Li Ming and his staff at the Embassy in Honiara for facilitating all the donations.
PS Viulu assured Ambassador Li that the motorcycles will be used by officers of the three ministries for their due intended purposes while serving our people and communities throughout the country.
“We are indeed grateful for this generous and important assistance as it will also contribute towards supporting our ministries service delivery in terms of administration and logistics.
“Our friendship is just more than 3-years, and it continues to grow from strength to strength. Today is a testament of the growing relationship between our two countries,” PS Viulu emphasized.
PS Viulu said Solomon Islands remain committed to the SI-PRC shared bilateral relationship adding the Solomon Islands Government will continue to build stronger relations with China as both countries continue to explore and expand in their areas of mutual cooperation.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Li said China’s relationship with Solomon Islands is rock solid and grows from strength to strength.
He said the handover ceremony is a good example of the resolute bilateral cooperation between the two countries, saying as a good friend and genuine partner, China firmly supports Solomon Islands on its road to development.
“These gifts are a symbol of our friendship. I believe these motorcycles can enhance mobility and capability building of the three ministries and I do hope ministry staff can use them for good purposes to serve the people of Solomon Islands.”
He added that the Chinese Embassy in Honiara will continue to facilitate support within its capacity towards the progress of rural development, agriculture, environment and other fields in Solomon Islands.
Ambassador Li further reaffirmed PRC’s commitment to advance the relationship it had with Solomon Islands and look forward for more areas of shared cooperation.
The donated motorcycles are manufactured in China’s well-known industry base in Jiangmen City of Guangdong Province. They are lightweight, durable, environmentally friendly and applicable to harsh road conditions.
Since the establishment of the sister relationship with Honiara, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province has donated three (3) garbage trucks, 100 street lights and a lot of medical supplies to Solomon Islands.
Solomon Islands and China (PRC) established official diplomatic relations in September 2019.
– MRD Press