BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Temotu province will soon establish a sub-national sister relationship with China’s Hunan province.
Stanley Tehiahua, Temotu Province’s Premier made the announcement at the province’s recent 42nd Second Appointed Day celebration in Lata, Temotu.
“I am pleased to officially announce that Hunan province in the Republic of China will become our sister province.
“The formal signing of the sister relationship agreement is under way. Once finalized, the relationship will allow us to explore specific areas of mutual cooperation, including education, trade and technology,” he said.
Most recently, the Solomon Island’s Polynesian province of Rennel Bellona through the national government has officially signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Hainan province of China.
The LOI was a step-away in the process to formally establish the sister-relationship between the two provinces.
The Rennell Bellona provincial government reported that MOU to formally forge this historic sub-national relationship will be signed later this year.
Since the two provinces began their path towards this sister relationship, China through its embassy office in Honiara, Solomon Islands has been supporting Rennell Bellona province with livelihood items on several occasions.
In April 2024, the most populated province in the country – Malaita province signed a cooperative MOU with Jiangsu province in China formally establishing a sister relationship between both provinces.
The sister relationship has since been enhanced with mutual cooperation, contributing to win-win outcomes in important areas such as infrastructure, education, agriculture and livelihoods.
The sister relationship plays key roles in the cooperation between Solomon Islands government, China and Malaita provincial government in the PRC funded Auki Road project that is currently being implemented.
Still under the cooperation, half of the 160 Solomon Islanders who were offered Chinese scholarship to study in China are from Malaita province.
Malaita province has so far, received livelihood items donated by Jiangsu province through Chinese Embassy office in Honiara worth more than one million dollars.
The PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) relationship with Malaita province, according to PRC’s Ambassador to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Cai Weiming, is a vivid example of China’s relationship with Solomon Islands.
Other provinces in Solomon Islands have also established relationships with provinces in China, while others are in the process of establishing similar sub-national cooperations.
For feedback, contact:[email protected]
