Solomon Islands Ambassador to China: “After the establishment of diplomatic relations with China, it is like we are on a high-speed train”

John Moffat Fugui, the Solomon Islands Ambassador to China (Photo/Lu Ningyuan)

For John Moffat Fugui, the first Solomon Islands Ambassador to China, “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” opens “a window of thought” to understand China.

“I have read the first three volumes of ‘Xi Jinping: The Governance of China’ and I am reading the fourth volume,” Fugui shared his reading experience during his interview with People’s Daily Haiwainet. He learned about the reasons for the extraordinary achievements China has made in the new era, “with such thoughts as a guide, any achievement is possible.” The deeper he understands China, the more determined Fugui is. “Establishing diplomatic relations with China is a great decision in our diplomatic history,” he said.

Receiving “respect” in China

On Sept. 21, 2019, China and Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations. The establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries is an overriding trend, and Fugui knows this well.

Before China and Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations, Fugui had led a delegation to China, visiting Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities. “We were impressed by what we saw and heard in China,” Fugui echoed, “First of all, China respects us. Solomon Islands was colonized in the past, and nations are unequal under colonial system. But when we came to China for the first time, we were respected and treated as important friends and distinguished guests.” Besides, the prosperity in China amazed Fugui and his team a lot. In just a few decades, China has gone through the development process that has taken the developed countries several centuries to go. Fugui has long heard about China’s miracle, and he noted that “very impressive to see it for ourselves”.

Tavanipupu Island Resort (Photo/Embassy of the Solomon Islands to China)

At the end of that journey to China, Fugui and his team agreed in mind. “The delegation members have different background and are divided on many issues. But we all agree that we should establish diplomatic relations with China,” Fugui emphasized, “Establishing diplomatic relations with China is the right historical decision for our country.”

When he talked about how he feels about being the first Solomon Islands Ambassador to China, Fugui said he was “excited”. “Solomon Islands is a small island state in the Pacific, and establishing diplomatic relations with China enables us to reach out to a bigger world. Our top priority is to open our embassy in Beijing. Now we can represent the voice of Solomon Islands on the big platform of China, promote communication and share the great influence of China,” Fugui said.

Solomon Islands Fishermen (Photo/Embassy of the Solomon Islands to China)

“China is a great friend”

In 2023, Solomon Islands will hold the Pacific Games. It is the first time for Solomon Islands to host a major international sporting event. It is also the first time for Solomon Islands athletes to compete on their own soil with counterparts from other countries. Since the start of the China-assisted 2023 Pacific Games stadium project in May 2021, Chinese contractors have been working together with the Solomon Islands Government to overcome the adverse factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and to push the project forward. In April 2022, the stadium training track and soccer field were officially completed and delivered. In June, the National University of Solomon Islands dormitory building project began. After its completion, it will be used as the Pacific Games athletes’ village. At present, the main structure of the stadium is near completion. “The Chinese Government’s assistance is unprecedented in the history of Solomon Islands,” Fugui said.

China provides strong boost to the economic and social development to Solomon Islands. China grants zero-tariff treatment on 98 percent of taxable items originating in Solomon Islands. China’s first batch of medical aid team arrived in Solomon Islands in March 2022, and their exquisite medical skills and kindness won the praise of people from Solomon Islands. China helped Solomon Islands in water conservation, sanitation, housing, coconut processing plants and other small-scale livelihood projects, benefiting many tribes and villages. China and Solomon Islands signed a framework agreement on bilateral security cooperation, which will help Solomon Islands maintain social stability. Fugui affirmed that “after establishing diplomatic relations with China, it is like we are riding on a high-speed train and feel like we are flying. Almost every day, our people talk about the great changes brought by China. China is not just a good friend, but a great friend.”

Some Western media smear the cooperation between China and Solomon Islands. On such acts, Fugui said that some Western countries stick to Western-centrism and want to suppress and demonize other countries to satisfy their own interests. Such mindset is very partial and does not work in the world where countries are interdependent. Fugui appreciates China’s view of the world, cooperation and development very much. “If you read the history of China’s foreign relations, you will find that China is development-oriented. For example, China has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative to further promote development, in which many Pacific island countries are involved,” Fugui said, “The culture and tradition of living in Oceania has taught us that only by constantly striving to paddle forward will the boat not be swallowed by the sea. Pacific island countries and China need to continue to do the right things and the paddle of our cooperation shall not be stopped.”

In April this year, the training track and field of the Pacific Games Stadiums project in Solomon Islands built with China's assistance was officially completed and delivered to the Solomon Islands government. (Photo/Xinhua News Agency)

“I hope that my children would read more and learn more in China”

Fugui’s life in China is quite busy with endless meetings and researches. He needs to discuss about opening direct flight between Honiara, capital of Solomon Islands, and cities of China, promote the export of tuna and timber from Solomon Islands to China, expand tourism cooperation, tap on the cooperation space of solar energy projects and look for cooperation opportunities with various Chinese companies. There are many goals and tasks on Fugui’s agenda.

However, “exploring China and reading China” is always a priority on Fugui’s tight schedule. “I have been to Pingtan, Fujian Province, Changsha, Hunan Province, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, I like each city very much, and I would like to visit Hong Kong in the future,” Fugui hopes to know China in a more detailed and deeper manner. This is not only his self-imposed requirement, but also his expectation for his four children. “When we return to Solomon Islands, I don’t want people to say that you have been to China, but there is nothing Chinese in you. I want my children to not only eat Peking duck in China, but to read and learn more in China,” Fugui said.

As he tries to know more about China, Fugui pays special attention to the development experiences of China. He said that in the past three years since Solomon Islands and China established diplomatic relations, the institutional superiority and highly efficient executive power of China have impressed the people of Solomon Islands a lot. “Over the past decades, we mainly dealt with Western countries, but we did not make much progress in development. Establishing diplomatic relations with China brings us huge changes, including our style of doing things. We need to learn China’s wisdom and experiences,” he said.

Fugui particularly talked about the inspiration he got from China’s democracy, that is, “a country cannot copy others to develop their own democracy”. He believed that democracy is diverse and different countries have different forms of democracy. China has blazed a path of developing democracy that is in line with its national conditions. China’s democracy has avoided involvement to the greatest extent, prevented mutual constraints and serious internal conflicts, and is able to form a united force for the good of all, Fugui said.