China delivers on promise

23 September 2016, 12:00AM

China and Samoa join hands in addressing Climate Change

As Chinese Ambassador, I attended with great pleasure the Official Launching Ceremony of the LED Street Solar Lights for Samoa on behalf of the People’s Republic of China yesterday at the MET Office in Mulinuu. 

During the ceremony, I took honor in signing the Letter of Acceptance of 500 sets of Solar LED Street Lights on behalf of the Chinese Government with Honorable Deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa Faumuina. 

Back in November, 2014, during the meeting in Nadi with Prime Minister Tuilaepa, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed that the Chinese Government is willing to help Samoa in developing clean energy and addressing climate change. 

After the meeting, the MOU concerning the Provision of Goods for Addressing Climate Change was signed between the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Independent State of Samoa in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Tuilaepa of Samoa. 

Now, all the 2500 sets of LED street lights, 500 sets of Solar LED street lights, 18000 sets of LED T 8 Tubes which are donated by the Chinese Government have arrived in Samoa and I am glad to know that some of the streets and roads have already been installed with the LED lights.

I believe that the provision of these goods will play an important role in improving Samoa’s ability in addressing climate change, implementing energy saving and emission reduction as well as improving the infrastructure of the country.

Climate change is related to the well-being of people and the future of mankind. As the biggest developing country  in the world with great sense of responsibility, China has always been an active participant and an important leader in global climate governance.

Under China's proposal and support from all parties, the first Presidency Statement on Climate Change throughout G20's history was released at the Sherpa Meeting in April, 2016.

All parties promised to sign the Paris Agreement on April 22. At G20 Hang Zhou Summit, all parties reached broad consensus in accelerating ratifying procedures so as to bring the Paris Agreement into force by the end of 2016.

In recent years, China has been making unprecedented efforts on a full scale in promoting energy-saving and emission reduction as well as low carbon development and has made significant contribution in addressing climate change. Since 2014, China has been the country with the largest investment in global clean energy.

According to statistics of Bloomberg News, China’s investment in clean energy reached 110.5 billion US dollars in 2015, a 17% increase of the previous year, accounting for one third of the global total investment. In 2014, Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of China’s GDP is 33.8% lower than the 2005 level, much higher than 15% decrease of that in the developed countries during the same period.

In 2015, Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of China’s GDP is 38% lower than the 2005 level. With this decrease speed, China will definitely fulfill the commitment made at Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in 2009 of lowering carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40% to 45% from the 2005 level by the year 2020.

Climate change is a global issue that requires the collaboration of the international community. In recent years, China has been doing her best in actively providing aid and support to other developing countries including Samoa.

For example, up to now since 2011, Chinese government has allocated 720 million RMB (about 110 million US dollars) in conducting South-South Cooperation for addressing climate change in addition to all the foreign aids for other developing countries.

China has also been providing professional training programs for thousands of officials and technicians from many developing countries in the world in the field of addressing climate change. 

China and Samoa have always been good friends and good partners. Chinese government is willing to support Samoa in addressing climate change. The donation of the LED Solar Street lights is yet another important event in the cooperation of our two countries in this regard.

China will continue to strengthen the cooperation with Samoa in various ways including personnel training, material aid and policy exchange so that together we can make concerted efforts in addressing global climate change.

 


23 September 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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