The Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Hon. Rick Houenipwela met with the Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), Mr.Chen Xiaodong in Beijing to reaffirm the friendship between the two countries and explore opportunities to deepen development cooperation.
During the meeting, the Minister and the Chairman exchanged views on strengthening collaboration in areas of mutual interest.
CIDCA Chairman expressed China’s support for Solomon Islands to choose a development path that supports SI national needs and economic development. The Chairman informed that over the course of the almost 7 years of diplomatic relations, China has provided 1.8 billion RMB (2.8 billion SBD) worth of aid to Solomon Islands and that they are pleased to see that this has made great contributions to the livelihood of Solomon Islanders. Chairman Chen highlighted some key achievements such as the Pacific Games Stadium, the SINU dormitory project, the National Referral Hospital Comprehensive Medical Center, the Dala-Atori Road in Malaita province and many more.
Foreign Minister Hon. Houenipwela expressed sincere appreciation for China’s continued support, noting that the bilateral relationship is relatively new but has developed at a fast pace since 2019. Minister acknowledged the immense support provided over the years and the more than 40 agreements and MOU’s signed between the two countries and expressed SI’s intention to further cooperation under those frameworks.
Foreign Minister also had the opportunity to highlight the GREAT Government’s key policy objectives, such as free education, reducing cost of electricity by 80% in Solomon Islands and accelerating development of needed infrastructure to increase production and enhance connectivity.
The Chairman welcomed the GREAT Governments policy objectives and expressed their willingness to align development strategies with Solomon Islands. The Chairman reaffirmed CIDCA’s commitment to working closely with the Government to identify and implement high-impact projects aligned with the country’s national development priorities.
Foreign Minister also acknowledged the support China provides to human resource development, with 202 students currently studying in China universities and more than 1300 professionals trained in China through short course seminars. Both sides discussed further opportunities to enhance technical exchanges, strengthen institutional cooperation, and expand people-to-people ties through training programmes, knowledge sharing, and capacity-building initiatives.
The meeting underscored the shared commitment of both countries to advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and common development goals. Both sides agreed to maintain close communication and further strengthen cooperation through regular dialogue and practical initiatives.
