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PNG Ruling Party Leader Reiterates One-China Policy
A ruling party leader of Papua New Guinea said today that it values the one-China policy, and is fully prepared to develop its relations with China and the Communist Party of China (CPC).
"We will not allow it (former Papua New Guinea government's establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan) to happen again, as long as our party is in government," said Jamie Graham, vice-president of the ruling People's Democratic Movement (PDM), in an interview with Chinese media.
Before coming to Beijing, Graham, who is on his first visit to China, visited Shanghai for an international city conference, and attended celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of sister-city relations between Moresby, capital city of Papua New Guinea, and Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong province.
"The objective of my trip to Beijing is to meet officials of the ruling party in the Chinese government, and to understand how the government functions, and the party machinery operates behind the government," he said, adding his visit is also a part of preparations for a visit to China by Prime Minister Mekere Morauta early next year aiming at formalizing cooperation for the two parties. Morauta is president of the PDM.
Calling his China visit "a fact-finding mission and eye-opening", Graham said that he was happy with party-to-party exchanges to promote understanding and cooperation between them.
"China has political stability, a strong government system. China can successfully implement economic plans and development strategies, and have economic growth and social harmony," he said while visiting the local government and local farmers in Miyun county on the outskirts of Beijing.
Even in countryside, there are lots of industries. Lots of jobs have been created, he said, adding that some farms are replete with high-tech machinery.
"We can see with our own eyes that China is going through an economic boom," he said.
"When we go back, we will report to political parties on your success. We hope that through cooperation between the two parties, we can share ideas and have some exchange programs to educate our members of parliament that political stability is very important," he said.
He said that the reports in the Western media about China's human rights conditioins are not true, because he and his delegation members did not see any evidence of people's suffering and human rights abuses.
"We talked to common people, and visited their homes. The families are happy. The Chinese government is looking after them," he said.
"We need to learn from China," he said.
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