China’s high-quality development brings more opportunities to Solomon Islands
By E. Cai Weiming, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Solomon Islands
Recently, China successfully concluded its annual sessions of National People’s Congress and National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
The Government Work Report, delivered by Premier Li Qiang at the meeting, gave a full account of China’s social-economic progress in 2024 and development goals in 2025.
The two sessions showcase a dynamic, open, confident and trustworthy China, bringing more opportunities to countries around the world, including Solomon Islands.
China’s development contributes to global justice and world peace. In the face of a world intertwined with change and turmoil, the Government Work Report clearly states that China will stay committed to the path of peaceful development, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and uphold international fairness and justice.
China is ready to work with the international community to promote an equal and orderly multi-polar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, promote the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and actively participate in reform and development of the global governance system.
In doing so, China will promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and create a better future of peace and development.
China’s development boosts the world economy with strong momentum. In 2024, China’s GDP rose to 18.94 trillion USD, contributing to 30% of world economic growth.
China has become the major trade partner of more than 150 countries and regions. China sets its GDP growth target for 2025 at around 5%, not only reflecting its confidence in a steady growth, but also providing more momentum to the recovery of the world economy.
China’s development offers innovative solutions to global issues. China broke “strangleholds” with cutting-edge science and technology.
New achievements have been made in integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and other areas. The release of the Chinese AI model “DeepSeek” and breakthroughs of humanoid robotics stunned the world recently.
In 2024, the output of new-energy vehicles in China surpassed 13 million. Energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by more than 3%, and renewable energy capacity still held a safe lead in the world. China has signed South-South cooperation agreements with more than 40 developing countries, investing nearly 24.5 billion USD to address climate change. China’s energy consumption per unit of GDP is expected to drop by 3% in 2025, and China will firmly pursue this target to contribute to climate change control.
China’s development provides an inclusive platform to facilitate the communication of different civilizations.
China’s Global Civilization Initiative is widely supported.
The resolution proposed by China to establish the “International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations” was adopted at the UN General Assembly by consensus in 2024. China stands ready to cooperate with the international community, make unremitting efforts to encourage exchanges among civilizations and promote world peace and development.
China will also actively exchange with other countries on governance and take concrete action to support others’ choice for development paths suited to their own national conditions.
China is a trustworthy friend, a reliable brother and a sincere partner to Solomon Islands. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than five years ago, China and Solomon Islands have firmly supported each other on issues concerning our core interests.
Our bilateral relations are standing at the forefront of relations between China and Pacific Island Countries. In July 2024, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele in Beijing.
The two leaders jointly pushed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Solomon Islands to a new height. Solomon Islands has always firmly supported the one-China principle and China’s national reunification. China also upholds the principle of “Four fully respects” in its relations with Solomon Islands and will support Solomon Islands in upholding its sovereignty, security and development interests, and choosing a development path suited to its national conditions.
Practical cooperation between China and Solomon Islands has flourished.
China remains Solomon Islands’ largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching 6 billion USD in 2024, with an annual increase of 12.21%.
Solomon Islands’ export to China grew to 391 million USD, a surge of 28.76%, with agricultural and fishery products like seaweed seeing a remarkable 46.32% increase, bringing more income to the people in Solomon Islands. China has granted zero tariff treatment to all of Solomon Islands’ products and will keep importing products from Solomon Islands, offering a tremendous opportunity.
The China-Aided National Referral Hospital Comprehensive Medical Center has been handed over to Solomon Islands. The Auki Road Project has officially broken ground. And the National Broadband Network project has been steadily carried forward.
These projects deepened the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between our two countries, delivering more tangible benefits to the people in Solomon Islands.
Cultural exchange between China and Solomon Islands have flourished.
The visa exemption agreement between China and Solomon Islands took effect by the end of 2024, facilitating more personnel exchanges between our two countries. All provinces of Solomon Islands have had friendly exchanges with Chinese counterparts.
The sub-national cooperation injects new vitality into the provincial development in Solomon Islands.
The Chinese Medical Team has treated over 30,000 patients, donated medical supplies worth over 1 million SBD, and conducted mobile clinics in all nine provinces, continuously helping enhance Solomon Islands’ health-care services.
The Chinese Police Liaison Team has trained nearly 1,000 police officers in Solomon Islands and organized over 40 community-based policing activities, contributing to Solomon Islands’ social stability. In recent years, China has offered over 200 full scholarships and helped nearly 1,000 personnel from Solomon Islands attend training courses in China, supporting Solomon Islands’ human resources development.
China firmly believes that, on the path to development and modernization, no one and no country should be left behind.
We are ready to work with Solomon Islands to fully implement the consensus of our leaders, strengthen political mutual trust, deepen cooperation across the board, and support each other on the path to development and modernization.
We hope Solomon Islands will benefit more from China’s high-quality development and better seize the opportunities of China’s growth.
Together, we will build an even closer China-Solomon Islands community with a shared future in the new era.
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