Guo Ningning, vice-governor of Fujian province, speaks at the China-Pacific People-to-People Friendship Forum in Fuzhou city of Fujian province on May 12. [Photo by Feng Shiying/chinadaily.com.cn]

The China-Pacific People-to-People Friendship Forum kicked off in Fuzhou, Fujian province on May 12.

During the forum, participants discussed hot topics like precision poverty alleviation, rural vitalization, green development, marine economy, friendship cities cooperation and cultural exchanges.

Themed "Building Bridges of Friendship and Taking Paths to Win-Win Cooperation", the forum was sponsored by the Fujian provincial government and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The event was aimed at deepening cooperation between China and countries in the Pacific region in various fields and boosting the sustainable development of those island nations. 

Lin Songtian, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said the Chinese side hopes the forum could help with the sharing of experiences, enhancing friendship, promoting cooperation and finding common ground for development.

He also hopes that people from all walks of life would make good use of the forum and promote mutually beneficial cooperation. 

Salote Pilolevu Tuita, princess of Tonga and lifelong honorary chairman of the Pacific-China Friendship Association, said that genuine friends are those who put each other's welfare at heart and provide support in times of difficulty.

"As Tongan people have learned from their precious friendship with China, what matters to China is not whether things are difficult or not, but safety, sovereignty and mutual respect as equal friends. The Chinese people respect and value our friendship," she said.

Guo Ningning, vice-governor of Fujian, said she hopes that the province and countries in the Pacific region can further deepen economic and trade cooperation in area like digital economy, marine economy, green economy and cultural tourism, and continuously expand the scale of two-way investment and trade.

"We will also strengthen ties in personnel and cultural exchanges and intensify cooperation in sister-city relations, agriculture, education, medical care, and other aspects," Guo said.

David Carter, honorary chairman of the New Zealand China Friendship Society, said: "What I admire most is China's economic achievements in the past 75 years. This is the most amazing economic takeoff I have seen in the history of human civilization."