Members of the Legislative Council of Macau;
Members of the National People’s Congress;
President of the Macau-Fiji Chamber of Commerce – Dr. Patrick Kang;
Members of the Macau-Fiji Chamber of Commerce;
Distinguished Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Bula vinaka, Ni Hao and a very good evening to you all.
It is my pleasure to be here in Macau and to celebrate with you the launch of the Macau-Fiji Chamber of Commerce.
On behalf of the Fijian Government and its people, I would like to extend our warm congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR).
I would also like to thank Dr. Patrick Kang and the Chamber Executives, as well as the many sponsors and friends for making this event possible.
Your efforts and presence here this evening, is a testament of our common desire to strengthen the bilateral cooperation and trade between China and Fiji.
I applaud the efforts of the Fijian Trade Commission/Consulate General in creating a strong Fijian presence, not just on mainland China but, here in Macau and Hong Kong.
This is also my first official trip to Macau as Fiji’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism.
I am here with the Permanent Secretary for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Shaheen Ali, Trade Commissioner/Consul-General, Dr. Yolinda Chan and other senior officials from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism. We look forward to meeting you all and having discussions on your trade and investment interests.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I was informed that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge was just recently completed. I understand this bridge is the world’s longest sea crossing bridge and connects all the cities along the Greater Bay Area, known as the “Da Wan Qu”. The closer integration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, will no doubt offer tremendous business opportunities for all sides, both for domestic and foreign trade.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Many of you may have heard about Fiji being one of the world’s most beautiful holiday destinations. Fiji has 333 islands, a population of around 900,000 and is strategically located in the “hub” of the Pacific. The Fijian tourism brand depicts the beautiful landscapes, blue sky, white sandy beaches, and happy, friendly people with the ‘Bula’ spirit.
Since 1975, when Fiji became the first Pacific Island Country to establish formal diplomatic ties with People’s Republic of China, the bilateral relationship has been growing stronger.
Fiji was among the first countries in the region to endorse China’s Belt and Road Initiatives. The Fijian Prime Minister, Hon. Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama attended the inaugural Belt and Road Forum in 2017. Over the next few days, I will lead a Fijian delegation to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum in Beijing to explore further cooperation opportunities.
Today, we will witness the launch of the Macau-Fiji Chamber of Commerce, six years after the establishment of the Hong Kong-Fiji Chamber of Commerce. This emphasises the important role the private sector plays in bringing Fiji and China even closer. We are excited about the development of the Greater Bay Area, which will unleash greater potentials for businesses in Fiji and Macau.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Trade has always been an important factor in the bilateral relationship between Fiji and China. I noted that some Fijian products have already entered the Macau market. Fiji Water, is a good example, which is available in many high-end hotels and casinos here.
Fiji, being a small island country, is not a supplier of mass products nor do we intend to become one. Fiji is a brand that is synonymous with quality, pristine environment and uniqueness. Fiji provides the opportunity to access a market of over 49 million people, as we are the hub that links to the rest of the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand.
It takes approximately 1 and a half to 4 hours to reach any destination from Fiji by flight. And Fiji is the shipping hub, especially for trans-shipment of cargo.
Through our trade agreements with the Pacific, that is, MSG Trade Agreement and PICTA, there is preferential access into these markets. Whilst SPARTECA and Developing Countries Preferential Scheme, provides Fiji duty free access to the Australian and New Zealand markets.
In terms of trade and investment there are significant untapped potentials to explore.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fiji has the best investment incentives in the region and compares competitively at the global level. We have the lowest corporate taxes, streamlined income tax, the ability to get a maximum of 20-year tax free status (depending on investment amount). Above all, Fiji has a highly talented English-speaking workforce which is very key in any ideal working environment.
Fiji also has some of the most exotic locations in the world, from idyllic beaches, sand dunes, tropical rain forests, mountains, rivers, waterfalls and rolling hills to city for shooting of feature films, television commercials and photography. Most scripts can be shot here in Fiji.
I wish to highlight a few key facts to give you a broader picture.
Trade flows between Fiji and China have been flourishing in recent years. Over the past five years, average exports to China totaled $108.6 million whilst imports averaged $742.7 million. Total two-way trade between Fiji and China reached its peak in 2018, amounting to $1.05 billion. A total of 277 Chinese investment projects were successfully implemented over the last five-years with a worth of approximately F$2.36 billion.
Tourism is Fiji’s major export and foreign exchange earner. Fiji is known for its cultural diversity, beautiful landscape and friendly people. In recent years, China has become Fiji’s most rapidly growing market. The Chinese annual arrivals in Fiji in the past five years, have grown from 28,333 in 2014 to 49,271 in 2018, registering an increase of around 74%.
Though the numbers are small by Chinese standard, the trend is very encouraging particularly when Fiji’s tourism development strategy has been focusing on high-end, high yield tourism, rather than mass tourism. The number of direct flights from Hong Kong to Nadi has also increased from 2 to 5 per week.
Looking ahead in 2019, we are already planning many exciting trade, investment and tourism promotion and marketing events in mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong.
I am also happy to note that 2019 is the China-Pacific Tourism Year, a special year that coincides with the celebrations of Macau’s 20th anniversary on its return to the motherland, and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The China-Pacific Tourism Year was launched on 1 April 2019, in Samoa. Subsequently throughout the year, there will be a series of tourism promotional activities across China.
Apart from tourism, Macau has been making great efforts in recent years to develop its conference and exhibition industry. It was rated the best performing market in Asia, according to the 2017 Union of International Fairs.
It is my sincere hope that with the cooperation and assistance of the Macau-Fiji Chamber of Commerce, we will be able to continue to tap into the flourishing conference and exhibition sector in Macau, to further promote Fiji.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Before I conclude, I wish to re-emphasise that to continue and extend that momentum, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, in collaboration with our Consulate General/Trade Commission in Shanghai, will redouble our efforts to bring in more Fijian made products and services to mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong markets.
I would like to thank the Government of Macau, the local communities and all our friends here, for your great and continuous support.
Today’s launch is a milestone and a new journey.
With those words, I wish the Macau-Fiji Chamber of Commerce all the best. Have an enjoyable evening.
Xie xie ni! Vinaka Vakalevu! Thank You!