Before the Spring Festival, at the invitation of the National Strategy Institute (NSI) of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Tonga-China Friendship Association and Rotary International 9940 District New Zealand, a 6-member CAFIU delegation paid a short good-will visit to the above-mentioned three countries from February 3 to 12, 2015. During the visit, the head of the delegation CAFIU Secretary-General Ni Jian, CAFIU Council Member and sealing-cutting artist Zhang Guowei, CAFIU Council Member and Board Chairman of Culture Cdaily Group Meng Fanshao respectively gave introduction on China’s political and economic development, especially China’s initiatives on building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, the new normal of China’s economy and China’s efforts in comprehensively deepening reforms and implementing rule of law, and also showed to the foreign friends the traditional Chinese culture and the seal-cutting art. Through the visit, the delegation has enhanced mutual understanding with friends of the three countries of different national, social and cultural backgrounds and has learned a lot from the three countries.

ROK, a country of constant exploration and development

In the ROK, the delegation was warmly received by NSI President Choi Jong Chan and other Korean friends. Our trip to the ROK impressed us deeply in 3 aspects.

 

First, all circles of the ROK hope to strengthen ROK-China cooperation. Both the Korean government and NGOs spoke highly of the ROK-China high level exchanges and paid close attention to China’s initiatives of building the “Belt and Road” as well as the signature of China-ROK free trade agreement. The Korean local governments take active consideration of deepening exchanges and cooperation with china in all areas in the process of urban planning.

 

Second, the delegation had frank exchanges with and learned a lot from our Korean friends. NSI President Choi Jong Chan, who is an experienced politician, elaborated on the ROK economic restructuring and its problem to the delegation. Vice-Chairwoman of Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission Kwak Jin-Young and her colleagues gave a detailed introduction about Korea’s anti-corruption system and practice of clean governance. The topics of the two meetings, economic restructuring and anti-corruption, both are China’s concerns at the moment. All the delegation members felt that Korea’s experience and lessons in the process of development are worth learning for China.

 

Third, the ROK is continuously exploring in the process of modernization. The ROK has achieved great economic development. Although its economy was seriously impacted by world and regional economic crises in recent years, the ROK has overcome difficulties through self-readjustment and achieved steady economic development. The Korean government also played an active role in coordinating the people’s interests and demands. However, there are still problems such as housing in urban areas remain to be addressed, which is quite similar to today’s China. The delegation also visited the administrative capital of the ROK Sejong City and Gyeonggi Province, where we were deeply impressed by the planning and construction of the new type of cities.

Tonga, a kingdom of peace and nature

Departing from Korea, we flew to the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean. Although it was difficult for us to adapt to the sudden change from the winter of the northern hemisphere to the summer of the southern hemisphere, we were looking forward to our visit to Tonga. Two days’ visit in Tonga left on us an unforgettable memory.

 

The first impression, Tonga is a country of peace, nature and colorful culture, where people live with high happiness index. Tonga is located in the southwest part of the Pacific Ocean close to the equator, composed of 172 islands and with a population of 10,000. Although its land area is quite limited, it has a vast sea area. The Tongan people are tall, hospitable and unhurriedly. On arrival in Nukualofa, lush green trees and azure blue sky were in sight. In the market of Nukualofa, there were plenty of food and fruits, such as cassavas, taros, tomatoes, coconuts and bananas. Many of the food containers are knitted with green leaves, naturally elegant and environment friendly. Christianity is an important part of the Tongan culture. The most striking buildings are churches. Every Sunday，men and women, old and young are all dressed in traditional costumes with a belt or skirt made of dried coconut leaves around their waists and go to church as if celebrating a festival. It is said that Tonga has received a lot of aids from the international community, which are deemed as the God’s mercy by the Tongan people.

 

The second impression is that Tonga follows closely with the trend of the times and actively participates in the regional development. Although China and Tonga are geographically far away from each other, the development of China-Tonga relations are appreciated by many Tongan officials and friends whom the delegation met with, including the Tongan Crown Prince Tupouto’a’ Ulukalala and Speaker of the Parliament of Tonga and former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano. They all hope to actively participate in the Asia-Pacific integration to realize win-win cooperation. When met with the delegation, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Ulukalala and the Crown Princess recalled happily the meetings with the Chinese leaders and visit to Xi’an City during their visit to China last year. Speaker of the Parliament of Tonga and former Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano said that currently Tonga-China people-to-people exchanges are dynamic which will be conducive to enhancing future bilateral and regional cooperation. He appreciated the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting’s efforts in advancing regional economic integration and forging an Asia-Pacific partnership of mutual trust, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation and expressed the wish to actively participate in the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road construction and strengthen Tonga-China exchanges and cooperation in the areas of fishery, agriculture and technical personnel training. He also said that Tonga wishes to give full play to its geographically advantageous location to serve as a bridge between China and the America.

New Zealand, a country of idyllic pastoral

The delegation’s two-day schedule in New Zealand is compact. It was already late in the night when we arrived in Wellington. We were warmly welcome by our old friend Mme. Judy Bain and other friends in New Zealand Rotary who had been waiting at the airport. I was impressed by the visit to New Zealand in the following three aspects.

 

First, there is a solid social basis for upgrading the China-New Zealand relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The current bilateral relationship will facilitate the two countries to build a community of mutual benefit and push the bilateral cooperation to new high. The China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is China’s first FTA reached with a developed country. Over 6 years since the signature of the Agreement, China-New Zealand cooperation is fruitful which has brought joy of harvest to both countries. The delegation pointed out that the South Pacific region is the natural extension of the 21st -Century Maritime Silk Road. The New Zealand side expressed that New Zealand will support and participate in building the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and will join hands with China to advance the regional integration and promote peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region. The delegation visited a university, a middle school and two primary schools in New Zealand, where we could feel the teachers and students’ friendship towards China. We are convinced that China-New Zealand relationship will have brighter prospects. New Zealand is a rich and developed country with an open attitude towards cooperation, so that we feel we have a lot to talk about. Both sides hope the youth who are the future of China and New Zealand would have more exchanges and shoulder the responsibility of enhancing friendship between our two countries.

 

Second, the New Zealand friends wish to deepen their understanding about China and push forward the bilateral cooperation so as to advance the continuous development of the bilateral relations. During our meetings with Mayor of Hutt City Ray Wallace, Deputy Chairperson of Finance and Expenditure Committee of New Zealand Parliament MP Chris Bishop, and Acting Executive Director of Asia New Zealand Foundation Adele Mason, we deeply felt that the New Zealand local governments wish to promote and carry out pragmatic cooperation with China, especially cooperation in education area. Asia New Zealand Foundation has carried out diversified exchange activities with China in the areas of education, media, culture and youth exchange and made fruitful achievements. They hope to continue exploring the way to carry out in-depth exchanges and cooperation with China.

 

Third, it is worth learning that New Zealand has strict regulations and the New Zealand people are devoted to their own work. Animal husbandry in New Zealand is quite developed. In order to prevent from harm by diseases and non-indigenous organism and protect the sound growth of the animals and plants within its territory, the New Zealand government has promulgated very strict laws on the inspection and quarantine of disease, food, animals and plants. We have personal experience at Auckland Airport. When we got off the plane, we saw a lot of quarantine indications along the way to the inspection and quarantine place. Passengers formed quite a long queue waiting for inspection. Although it seems complicated and fussy, it is effective for preventing from the spread of disease and protecting local ecological environment.

 

During the short visit to the three countries, we deepened friendship with old friends and made new friends and promoted understanding and cooperation. We sowed the seeds of people-to-people friendship with our hard work. Sincerely wish people?-to-people friendship between China and the three countries would be more and more fruitful.