Remarks on the Occasion of Handover of Education Facilities for Ha'apai

H.E. Mr. Huang Huaguang

Ambassador of China in the Kingdom of Tonga

(Nuku'alofa, December 12, 2014)

Hornarable Dr. Ana Taufe'ulungaki,

I am happy to attend today's ceremony and witness the handover of these eduction facilities to the Government of Tonga.

Last March, duiring his visit to Tonga, H.E. Mr. WANG Jiarui, Vice President of he National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Minister of International Department of CPC Central Committee learned about that Ha'apai was hit by the Ian Cyclone and many schools were seriously damaged and he decided to provide a package of facilities for Ha'apai schools to support the reconstruction of education sector.

That's how we come here today. I believe, with the support of Ministry of Education and Training, soon after the delivery, these facilities will benefit the teachers and students in Ha'apai.

Education determines the future of a country and its people. I noticed that on the website of your Ministry, there's a quote from Nelson Madela, saying that Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.

Both China and Tonga enjoy a long history and both countries attach great improtace regarding eduction and cultural continuity.

Education is one of the most important areas for China-Tonga cooperation and has made great achievements in the past years.

Since the establishement of bilateral relations in 1998, there are over 150 excellent Tonga students went to China for study with the support of Chinese Government Scholarship.

Today, I am glad to see many of them have returned to their homeland and made their own contributions to Tonga's development..

Last month President Xi Jinping visit Fiji and in Nadi he had both bilateral and group meetings with leaders from Pacific Islands countries, including the Prime Minister of Tonga.

This is the first time for the Chinese head of state to visit this region, which shows China really pays great importance to the cooperation with Pacific Islands counties.

During the grooup meeting, President Xi announced a package of assistance which covers the areas of infrustructure, climate change, trade, etc. About the education, China decieded to offer 2000 scholarship opportunities and 5000 study and training places of all kinds to the island countries in the coming 5 years.

I believe that in future more Tongan students will have oppourtunities to go to China for study and with the effortss from both sides, we'll see a more fruitful results for China-Tonga education cooperation.

Thank you!