P.M. Tuilaepa meets Vice Premier Hu, Samoa and China sign seven agreements

Samoa and China signed seven memorandums of understanding, after an hour long bilateral meeting between China's Vice Premier, Hu Chunhua, and Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, on Saturday evening.

The two met alongside Mr. Hu’s high level delegation and Samoa's Cabinet Ministers to discuss issues from education to agriculture in a closed door meeting at Sheraton Samoa Hotel.

The meeting was opened to witness the signing of seven M.O.U’s, on e-commerce, strengthening investment and production capacity, strengthening cooperation in infrastructure sectors, and agriculture cooperation.

They also signed a protocol on inspection, quarantine and veterinary sanitation requirements for marine fishing aquatic products for export.

China's Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister of Agriculture Zhang Taolin and Vice Minister of General Administration of Customs, Zhou Zhiwu signed the above memorandums alongside Ministry Chief Executive Officers of Samoa.

The Vice Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, Zhou Liujun, also signed two agreements, on technical and economic cooperation and an exchange of letters between three primary schools: St Therese, Apia Primary and Lepea Primary School.

China and Samoa met for bilateral talks ahead of the 3rd China-Pacific Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum held at the T.A.T.T.E. Conference Centre this Sunday and Monday.

The meeting will revolve around the China-Pacific Island Countries Program of Action on Economic Development and Cooperation, a development of the original agreement held in 2006. 

Eight Pacific Islands, including Samoa, are party to the agreement. It is understood the Solomon Islands and Kiribati, who recently switched their diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China will also be attending the Forum.

The memorandums signed:

•   ELECTRONIC COMMERCE COOPERATION- Signed between Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling CEO Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour and Wang Shouwen China’s Vice Minister, Ministry of Commerce

•    STRENGTHENING INVESTMENT AND PRODUCTION CAPACITY COOPERATION- Signed between Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling CEO Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour and Wang Shouwen China’s Vice Minister, Ministry of Commerce

•    STRENGTHENING COOPERATION IN INFRASTRUCTURE SECTORS- Signed between Magele Hoe Viali CEO Ministry of Works, Transport & Infrastructure and Wang Shouwen China’s Vice Minister, Ministry of Commerce

•    AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION- Signed between Tilafono David Hunter, CEO Ministry of Agricultural and Fisheries & China’s Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhang Taolin

•    PROTOCOL ON INSPECTION, QUARANTINE & VETERINARY SANITARY REQUIREMENTS FOR WILD MARINE FISHING AQUATIC PRODUCTS TO BE EXPORTED - Signed between Tilafono David Hunter, CEO Ministry of Agricultural and Fisheries & China’s Vice Minister General Administration of Customs Zou Zhiwu

•    AGREEMENT ON ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION- Signed between CEO Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peseta Noumea Simi & China’s Vice Chairman Cooperation Agency Zhou Liujun.

•    EDUCATION AGREEMENT: Signed between China’s Vice Chairman for International Development Cooperation Agency Zhou Liujun and Samoa’s Chief Executive for the Ministry of Education Sports & Culture, (MESC) Afamasaga Dr. Karolina Fuatai.