RAROTONGA, Cook Islands, Feb. 20 -- China, New Zealand and Cook Islands on Thursday jointly launched the construction of a water infrastructure project which will deliver an improved water main system to the people of Rarotonga, the Cook Islands' main island.

The Queen's Representative in Cook Islands Tom Marsters, Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully, Chinese Ambaassador to New Zealand and Cook Islands Wang Lutong, and Special Envoy of the China-Pacific Island Forum Li Qiangmin attended the launching ceremony.

It is the first time China and New Zealand have worked together to deliver a major development initiative in the Pacific.

The Rarotonga water project is not only the largest ever infrastructure project but also a significant livelihood project in Cook Islands. After completion, it will provide residents with safe and clean drinking water. And more significantly, it will help uplift locals' level of health.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna said the tripartite arrangement, the first of its kind anywhere in the world, was the mark of deep friendship and respect between Cook Islands, China and New Zealand - a concerted willingness to cooperate on a development project of such a grand scale that it would attract international attention.

"Together, we are pioneering a new collaborative force in economic cooperation and sustainbale development in the region. As a collaborative model, the water project carries with it the innovation and foresight of three countries, which recognize the value of respective strength and expertise, the importance of sharing skills and resources, and significance of how much difference can be made to the lives of so many people by just working together," said Puna.

"The Water Partnership Project with our two closest friends will change our lives forever, and the vulnerabilities of aging and inadeuqate water supply systems will be put behind us once and for all," Puna added.

Wang Lutong said in his address that thanks to the close cooperation by the governments of Cook Islands, China and New Zealand, now it comes to the historic moment of launching.

Bearing in mind its important value and meaning to the people of Cook Islands, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the water project, he added.

As the largest developing country in the world, China has carried out South-South cooperations with Cook Islands and other developing countries through bilateral channels, helping them in economic development and improvement of people's livelihood, Wang said.

"The Chinese side has maintained a positive and open attitude to the tripartite cooperation which could give full play to the respective strength of each party and better promote the development of the recipient countries, as well as in line with the common interests of the three parties. We also maintain that the desires and choices of recipient countries must be fully respected and the principles of helping the local peace and development followed, while carrying out cooperation step by step and starting from easy one first."

The Rarotonga water project is the first tripartite cooperation for China, and fully reflects the sound relationship and deep trust among the three countries, said the Chinese ambassador.

New Zealand Foreign Minister McCully said the tripartite arrangement represents an innovative way to help Cook Islands achieve a development priority, and it marks a further step foreward in New Zealand's valued relationship with China.

"This collaboration between the governments of New Zealand, China and the Cook Islands will not only provide the people of Rarotonga with an effective water supply system, it will also deliver to the global community a leading model of triangular cooperation. This form of collaroration in international development is novel." said McCully.

Also inculded in the launching ceremony was the unveilling of a monument, which is described by project officials as a basalt rock structure, roughly two meters high, and features the project's fish hook logo.

On Aug. 30, 2012, the governments of China, New Zealand and Cook Islands announced an initiative of triparite partnership in improving the water main system in Rarotonga.