Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said that since the arrival of the Chinese-Fijian, their contribution has played an integral part in our status as ‘leaders in the Pacific’.

Mr Bainimarama was speaking to guests and the Chinese community during the opening of the Fiji-China Friendship Pavilion at Terry Walk yesterday which coincides with start of Chinese New Year celebrations.

“I can say confidently that since their arrival, our Chinese-Fijian community has been an integral part of that rich cultural diversity that has made us the dynamic island nation we are today – leaders in the Pacific and an example for small island states the world over,” he said.

“We owe our unprecedented success as a country to every Fijian.

“We owe it to the effort that ordinary Fijians give our nation every day. Because our greatest asset as a nation has and will continue to be the ability of the Fijian people.

“Being Fijian is not about where our ancestors called home, our ethnicity or the religion we choose to follow. It is not about where we were born or our standing in society. No.

“To be Fijian is to be patriotic. It is to adhere to the rule of law and to our Constitution.

“It is to work hard, to be resilient in the face of adversity and to do our part in building a better world for the next generation.

“That is what defines us as a people, and that is what you have been a part of for the past 162 years.

“So I’m very glad to open this new pavilion so that our appreciation of your history in Fiji can stand for all time and for all to see.”

Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhang Ping said it is the day for family reunion and celebrate the Chinese lunar year.

“For the Chinese Community in Fiji, today is a very significant day for all of us.

“The Chinese Pavilion is a gift in commemoration of the anniversary of arrival of the Chinese community in Fiji and to bring the Chinese and Fijians close together,” Mr Ping said.

The Pavilion was constructed in the traditional Chinese that is found in temples, parks and gardens all throughout China.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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