It was on 2 November 1998 that Tonga and China established diplomatic relations. This year marks the 25th anniversary of a relationship that has brought great benefits, especially to the socio-economic development of the island kingdom.
HE Cao Xiaoling, Chinese Ambassador to Tonga, has referred to the relationship as a “role model of solidarity, cooperation, and common development among countries of different sizes…”
China is a country with a population of 1.4 billion people. Tonga is an island country with a much smaller population of 108,000. “But China and Tonga respect each other, help each other and work to safeguard the peace and stability in the Pacific region,” Mr. Cao said in an interview with TBC.
Mr. Cao himself came to Tonga 25 years ago as a young diplomat immediately after the establishment of the China and Tonga relations. Even though he left Tonga for some time, he came back as ambassador, and says “I am lucky that I still work in the Chinese Embassy at this historical moment.”
The switch from Taiwan to China was an initiative of His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. Subscribing to the one-China policy, the late king terminated relations with Taiwan, and shifted Tonga’s diplomatic relations and development partnership to China. He sealed Tonga’s commitment to the China relations with a state visit in 1999. His successors have also made state visits to China, king George V in April 2008, and King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u in March 2018.
Mr. Cao says “these state visits were very successful, and opened a new chapter in China-Tonga relations.”
The current King, Tupou VI, as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, signed the Joint Communique on the establishment of the Diplomatic Relations between Tonga and China in November of 1998.
What has made the difference from twenty five years ago was the direct involvement and leadership of the Tonga monarchs, ensuring at least from the Tonga side that this is a relationship of mutual respect and of mutual benefit to both nations.
Development actions characterize a relationship of respect
China respects Tonga’s sovereignty and independence; and Tonga does too, ascribing support to the one-China policy, as well as Chinese global initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Over the past 25 years, there have been more than 20 agreements on economic and technical cooperation signed between Tonga and China, with grant aids by China to support Tonga’s social and economic development.
There are hundreds of projects that have been assisted by China such as technical cooperation, public facilities and infrastructure, human resource development, medical teams, provision of goods and materials, emergency humanitarian aid, as well as various complete projects.
Ambassador Cao Xiaoling said in an interview that China and Tonga have established and enhanced high-level exchanges and interactions. “We have expanded exchanges between governments, legislatures and subnational titles. As a result, we have shared government experience, and steadily enhanced political mutual trust.”
There have been exchanges and cooperation in areas such as culture, education, health, sports, tourism, youth and the media. Mr. Cao said that China has provided government scholarships for nearly 400 Tongan students and various kinds of training opportunities.
The visit this year of the Chinese naval hospital ship, Peace Ark, provided humanitarian medical services to the Tongan people. This was the third visit of the ship to Tonga since 2014. In its latest visit in July/August, it provided free medical services to about 7000 people.
Infrastructural evidence of Chinese aid
The most visible infrastructural aid from China would have to be the development of the Central Business District reconstruction funded by a concessional loan from the Exim Bank of China. This was completed in June 2012.
There was also the National Roads Improvement project which was funded by concessional loans, completed in December of 2012.
But China’s grant aids in construction of public facilities, government buildings, conference centers, schools, hospitals, wharves, roads, and cultural venues have been huge developments lifting Tonga’s development to levels that have never been achieved before.
China built Ha’apai High School in 2001. In 2005, China reconstructed Tonga High School.
Fa’onelua Convention Center and the auxiliary facilities were built by China in 2007.
China built the Vava’u Hospital Extension in 2010. The bridge in Vava’u connecting the west side with Neiafu was also built by China.
Most notable in the Nuku’alofa CBD is the St. George Government Office Building which was completed in 2017. This has upgraded working conditions of the government. It is a landmark building in the CBD.
Ambassador Cao, said that China provided 119 pieces of heavy machinery and 500 container rooms to Tonga in 2022 to help the Government increase its capacity for national recovery after the Hung Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruptions and tsunami in January 2022.
One hundred farm tractors were also provided by China in 2021 and 2022 to help increase agriculture productivity and ensure food security.
A Music Center for His Majesty’s Armed Forces was built and handed over by China in August of 2022.
Currently a Chinese company is constructing Tonga High School Sports Complex project, a major construction expected to be completed in 2024, and will become another landmark facility in Tonga.
Ambassador Cao said “the good bilateral relationship is based on mutual respect without any strings attached.”