FormerPNGPrimeMinisteronBRIprovidingopportunitiesfordevelopmentandservingpeopleinPNG_GuangmingOnlineFormerPNGPrimeMinisteronBRIprovidingopportunitiesfordevelopmentandservingpeopleinPNGInterviewSeries:CommunitywithaSharedFutureforMankindEP17:FormerPNGPrimeMinisteronBRIprovidingopportunitiesfordevelopmentandservingpeopleinPNGIn2018,whenPeterO’NeillwasPrimeMinisterofPapuaNewGuinea(PNG),heledadelegationtovisitChinaandsignedaMemorandumofUnderstandingontheBeltandRoadInitiative(BRI),whichmadePNGthefirstPacificislandnationtojointheBRI.Today,weareveryhonoredtospeakwithhimontopicsrelatedtotheBRIandChina’sothercontributionstothedevelopmentofPNG.Q1:Hi,Mr.O’Neill.SincePNGisoneofthefirstcountriestojointheBRI,anditbecameaBRImemberin2018,whydidPNGbelieveintheBRIinthefirstplace?PeterO'Neill:WhenwesignedtheBeltandRoadInitiativeprogram,Iknewtheopportunitiesthatthisinitiativepresented,especiallythevisionthatPresidentXiJinpinghadaboutlinkingChinaandthetradeandinvestmentopportunitieswithothercountries,andIwantedPapuaNewGuineatobethefirstamongmanytoparticipateinthat.Thisisbecauseofourcontinuedfriendlyrelationshipcloseto50years.Sofar,theinitiativehasdeliveredquitesubstantiallyinPapuaNewGuinea,andwehopeitwillcontinue.Q2:CanyouprovidesomeexamplesofBRIprojectshelpingimproveinfrastructure,healthcare,andeducationinPNG?PeterO'Neill:Wehavebuiltmanyroadinfrastructuresinthecountry.We’vebuiltnewhospitalsthatisimprovinghealthcare.SomeofthelargesthospitalsinPapuaNewGuineaisbuiltbyChinesefunding.Someoftheuniversitiesinmyownprovince,auniversitycalledWesternPacificUniversityisbuiltbyChinesefunding.We’vegotveryoneofthelargesthighschoolsinthecountrycalled"Butuka"fundedbyChineseinfrastructure.Itisthereanditisservingthepeople.Q3:SinceChinahashelpedPNGdevelopmentinmanydifferentareas,canyoualsospeakaboutChina’seconomiccontributiontoPNG?PeterO'Neill:Chinaiscontributingtowardsimprovingoureconomyitself.Chinaisoneofourbiggestimportersofourresources.WesellgoldandcopperandoilandgastoChina,whichisbringingrevenueforourcountryandbuildingoureconomy.Q4:Finally,canyoumakeasummaryoftheChina-PNGpartnership?Inthefuture,whatdoyouexpectofChina’sroleinPNGandinthePacificregion?PeterO'Neill:There’salottothankChina,andChinaisaverygoodpartnerforPNG.Weprovidetheresources,theybuildinfrastructureforus,andtheyimproveoureconomy.IthinkitisimportanttonotethatChinaisdoingalotmorethanmanyotherdevelopmentpartnersinbuildingroads,schools,hospitals,airports,ports,andthelistgoeson.SoChina’sroleisaveryactiveroleinthePacific,andwehopethatitwillcontinue.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.