China-Pacific Islands Maritime Economic Seminar

Information

The China-Pacific Islands cooperation on marine ecological conservation, blue economy, maritime security, marine technological innovation and maritime governance has yielded early results under the framework of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. In order to improve infrastructure, create employment, alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development, China and the Pacific Islands should synergize their development strategies and deepen the maritime economic cooperation while advocating the principles of equal negotiation, joint development and benefits sharing.

Date: September 27, 2018

Venue: Cliff Rainbow Hotel, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

Organized by: China Development Institute and China-Pacific Islands Economic and Culture Association

Supported by: Government of Federated States of Micronesia

Theme: Win-Win Cooperation and Shared Growth

Agenda

10:00-10:30	Registration
10:30-11:30	Opening Remarks
	Marion Henry, Secretary, Department of Resources & Development, Government of the Federated States of Micronesia Huang Zheng, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Federated States of Micronesia Fan Gang, President, China Development Institute Li Hexie, Vice Chairman, China - Pacific Islands Economic and Cultural Association Moderator: Derrick Wong, Senior Vice President, Luenthai Group
11:30-12:30	Panel One Providing Facilities and Infrastructure To improve infrastructure is a prerequisite for economic and social development. Therefore, China and the Pacific Islands should strengthen their cooperation in this area. What can be done for the sustainable development and management of energy, transportation, water, communications, disaster prevention and other critical infrastructure? What can be done to explore more types and sources of financing for infrastructure projects? How can the infrastructure construction promote the economic and social development?
	Moderator: Derrick Wong, Senior Vice President, Luenthai Group Panelists: Wang Jikui, Chief Technology Officer, South Pacific Region, Huawei Technologies Hu Zhenyu, Director, Department of Sustainable Development and Blue Economy, China Development Institute
12:30-13:30	Lunch
13:30-14:30	Panel Two Upgrading Transportation through Connectivity The Pacific Islands spread across the vast ocean, which results in connectivity challenges. To improve its transportation system is significant for the economic growth and people’s livelihood in the region. What can be done to promote land, air and water transport? What can be done to expand airport and ports and introduce international flights? How can the Pacific Islands realize the strategic opportunity of infrastructure connectivity arising from the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road?
	Moderator: Derrick Wong, Senior Vice President, Luenthai Group Panelists: Adam Ferguson, President, Asia Pacific Airlines Christopher Christian, General Manager, Cliff Rainbow Hotel Edward T. Cruz, Mariana Express Lines Pte. Ltd. Gavin Gao, President, Kyowa Tienyang Shipping Co., Ltd.
14:30-15:30	Panel Three Realizing Sustainable Development of Fishery Fishery, a pillar industry for the Pacific Island economies, has great potential and China and the Pacific Islands should take measures to promote the bilateral trade to create employment and drive economic growth. How can the fishery resources be sustainably used? How can the value chain of the fishery industry be expanded to create economic and social values?
	Moderator: Derrick Wong, Senior Vice President, Luenthai Group Panelists: Eugene Pangelinan, Executive Director, National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA) Chen Qingbai, General Manager, Liancheng Overseas Fishery
15:30-15:50	Coffee Break
15:50-16:50	Panel Four Generating Transformative Change in Tourism Isolated Pacific Islands are attracting more and more Chinese tourist, as the China-Pacific Islands cooperation brings development opportunity for the tourism of the region. What can be done to explore tourism resources and increase the supply of tourism products so as to attract more tourists? How can the Chinese tourism enterprises get involved in the tourism development of the region? How can the tourism facilitate the local development?
	Moderator: Li Hexie, Vice Chairman, China - Pacific Islands Economic and Cultural Association Panelists: Derrick Wong, Senior Vice President, Luenthai Group Christopher Christian, General Manager, Cliff Rainbow Hotel
16:50-17:00	Closing Remarks
	Fan Gang, President, China Development Institute Moderator: Li Hexie, Vice Chairman, China - Pacific Islands Economic and Cultural Association

Highlights

In his opening remarks, Marion Henry, Secretary of Department of Resources & Development, Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), said that the FSM welcomes Chinese businesses to invest in the FSM as it is beneficial for creating jobs and improving people’s livelihood. Chinese Ambassador Huang Zheng to the FSM said that China and the FSM would work closely to enhance collaboration in key areas such as infrastructure, transportation, fishery, agriculture and tourism for which private sector could be a driving force.

Prof. Fan Gang analyzed historical background and economic rationale of the Belt and Road Initiative. Given that the FSM has had clear development vision, the government should coordinate development of different sectors and provide policies which will bolster enterprises’ confidence to expand their business here.

Poor infrastructure and transportation is a major barrier for economic and social development of the FSM. China and the FSM can strengthen cooperation on information and communications technology and try to open direct flights from China to the FSM. Fisheries are biggest revenue generator for the FSM. On the one hand, fishery resources should be sustainably managed and used. On the other hand, a dynamic system that includes all the component of the supply chains ranging from resource owners, processors, to retailers should be developed by establishing joint ventures with foreign companies. Tourism is a potential economic avenue for the FSM. Tourism sector can take advantage of opportunities of increasing Chinese markets and attracting investments in high-end resorts.