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| SPEECH BY COOK ISLANDS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER &MINISTER OF FINANCE SIRTEREPAZMAOATEKBE(MD) |
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| 2008-10-17 10:05 mofcom |
Nee Hao
To our kind hosts-the Govenunent of China,dignitaries and officials from the Pacific region...Friends...On behalf of my government and peoph,I extend to each of you our greeting,a warm Kia Orana to you all.
Thank you to tthe GOVernment for bringing us all here and more importantly foe the Warm welcome and hospitality that has been extended to us since our arrival.This Trade,Investment and Tourism Ministerial Conference of the China-pacib Island Countries provides m excellent opporumity and forum to further economic develoPment and cooperation.
In July 1997 China and the Cook Islands formally established diplomatic relations and over the last 11 years,that relationship has nourished and will only grow stronger.
The Cook Islands values its excellent relationship with China,and places a high priodty on maintaining high-level contact with China toensuethatcooperative relationsinwideranging fields will bring about greater mutually beneEcial results.
In recognition of the importancewe place on our relationship with China,Cook Islands Prime Minister Jim Marurai visited Beijinglast year to mark the 10th anniversary of our diplomatic relations.The warm hosp让ality extended to our prime minister during that state visit is aldher testimony ofthe mutual cooperation and common respect we both share with each other.
China's continued provision of much needed development assistance to the Cook Islands h critical areas of economic and social devclpment,particularly in inbstructural development,and financial grant assistance is helping us achieve a better standard of living and better equipped to stand on our feet amidst increasing globalization.
Our two countries also share an excellent record ofnon-government exehanges with notable achievements in cultural,education and tourism exchanges.The Cook Islands is keen to see these valuable exchanges continue and strengthen as I really believe we should be learning more about each other.This is especially true for the Cook Islands,a small Pacinc island state because China,as an economic power,is playing an increasingly important role in world affairs.
Our Olympic team has returned from the outstanding Beijing2008 Olympic Games with glowing reports about the facilities,coordination and the warm hospitality of China.Thank you for your kind gesture to our small team which has come home with‘Gold'memories.
China is also assisting the Cook Islands With the construction of the Multi-Sports Facility to be located on the main island of Rarotonga.This Faciliq will host the 2009 World Youth Netball Championships and the 2009 Paciflc Mini-Games-two important regional events we would never have been able to stage if China had not provided a concessional loan facility.
China's generosity to the Cook Islands has also included the financing through grant assistance the construction of two major building-our courthouse and justice department as well as the National police headquarters.These are located in the central township oftlhe Cook Islands.
The Cook Islands is now preparing for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo to be held in Pu Dong.The Cook Islands Goven1ment would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to China for providing Enancial assistance which will allow us to have a strong presence at the Shanghai World Expo.It will provide a global platform that will give us the oppodunity to showcase our country to the world and,just as importantly,to the people of China.
Tourism is the number one industry in the Cook Islands followed by offshore finaneial services,black pearls and fisheries.The importance we place on creating a solid foundation with China in tourism is proven in that now undenvay is the finalization of all documentation giving the Cook Islands approved destination status with China.
Furthermore,the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation will soon sign a destination marketing agreement with China's biggest and most iImovative travel companies to Oceania countries,ANZ Holiday-YATU Online,which is China's leading South paciflc specialist travel wholesaler.
We look forward to building a sustainable tourism padnership with ANZ Holiday/Yatu Online to enable our Chinese friends to visit and learn more about the Cook Islands.
We place tremendous value on these developments and we would like to continue the excellent progress we have made with our relationship in the area of touism which is why I have included in my delegation the CEO of the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation,Mr.John Dean.If any of you present today have my queries regarding the Cook Islands tourism or our country as a destination please talk to Jolm.
We are very proud of our small country which is widely accepted as being one of the most beautiall in the Pacid.
Like China,we have a rich history and vibrant culture.Our traditional dancing and drumming is world famous and sees cu1tural groups travelling to many countries,including China,to stage thrilling performances.
We are forever gratehlto our early forefathers,for their courage to take to the vast Pacific Ocean in their voyaging canoes to discover our islands of beauty and abundance over 1000years ago.Our southern island of Aitutaki has been acknowledged as one of eight most beautiful tourist of the world-its spectacular crystal clear,lagoon is breathtaking.
But there are 12other inhabited islands in the Cook Islands group to visit...Eden's that have been largely untouched by Westemization making them extraordinary, peaceallplaces in the often chaotic 21st century.
The leading commodities we believe wil1 attract interest from your commercial sector are tourism,our ofshore flnancial services and black pearls.The Cook Islands was one of the first offshore jurisdictions,creating in 1981 the necessary legislative and infkastructure to establish an ofrshore centre.
The Cook Islands offer a stable and highly protected system for china's business people and private companies.The Goven1ment maintains the position that we must preserve the reputation ofbeing trustworthy with strong legislation and measures in place to always ensure good governance by Govenm1ent and the private sector.Plans are in place to more aggressivelymarket the Cook Islands as an excellent,safe jurisdiction to do business and China is at the top ofour list.
Our Black Pearl industry continues to rebound with new strategies put in piace to support our black pearl farmers in the northern islands of Manihiki and penrhyn. Many Cook Islands Pearl Farmers have established excellent partnership arrangements with Chinese Pearl Farmers from Beihai City,in the Gwung Shee Province in South China.
We see huge potential for pearl farming cooperation between our famers and China -the world's biggest suppliers of Pearls!We also see huge potential for the development of an export market for Cook Is1ands Black Pearls in China.In this regard,I wish to finalise arrangements to have Cook Islands Black Pearls enter China on a duty and levy free arrangement.
Let me assure you that if China could grant the Cook Islands this special privilege, China will have played an important part in our drive to not only diversify the Cook Islands economy,but to also keep our small populations living in our remote
northem islands.
This is critical for the Cool Islands.We are facing a de-population problem, therefore any steps that are taken to make our widely scattered islands more conducive to economic growth by creating opportunities and improvinginfrastructure that will help keep our people productive and living at home are important to our socio and economic well-being.
The Cool Islands is comprised of 15 islands scattered over an EEZ of over1.8 million square kilometers of pollution free Pacific Ocean.There lies massive potential for deep sea aquaculture farming.I have looked at huge aquaculture farms located along China'S coastline,especially off the Shan Dong Province.
The Cook Islands are seriously interested in engaging a partnership with China'S leadingn and most experienced Aquaculture farming companies for the establishment pf similar floating farms in the Cool Islands.We have huge potential to farm many species of seafood,including but by no means limited to,tuna fish,shell fish,and much more!
On our seabed lie the richest deposits of polymetallic nodules,also known as manganese nodules.We are now in the process of putting in place seabed mining.legislation as we are confident that deep sea mining of the polymetallic nodules is not only feasible but now economically viable.Dialogue to discuss possible partnerships to mine these tremendous seabed resouree wouIld be welcomed by the Cook Islands Government.
We are also preparing to submit a claim to the United Nations to extend our continental shelf by over 300,OOO square ki1ometers,making the Cook Islands a large strategically placed country in the Pacib Ocean.
In recognition of the pivotal role of the private sector in economic development, my Government feel it important to promote relations between the private sectors of our two countries.Mindall of the smaliness ofour economy,these initiatives need to be focused on small-medium sized ventures,withjoint partnerships a particularly attractive option.
Ladies and gentlemen,we offer our profound appreciation to the Chinese Government for giving the Cook Islands,and owPaciEc neighbours,the valuable opportunity to be here to all-ther talks and connections h trade,investment and tourism.These areas are very vital to our development and gIWVth as a sovereig1 nation.
I know that these discussions wi11help determine the path we take as the Cook Islandsjourneys towards a promising alture that I am confident will be dynamic,productive and stable.
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