A report in the Fiji Times says that China is an emerging tourism market, according to Fiji Islands Visitors Bureau Chairman Patrick Wong, who made the comments in response to the visa exemption order for Chinese nationals announced by Fiji’s Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.
“As far as tourism is concerned, that is certainly an advantage, to get to the China market,” he said.
Mr Wong said 180,000 Chinese visitors travelled to Australia last year and Fiji could lure some of them here, adding, “We are offering the sun and the sea but they are more interested in the night life,” he said.
Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre coordinator Shamima Ali said the interim regime should not be gazetting such orders.
“They should sort out the political mess the country is in instead of adding to it,” she said.
Chinese Association of Fiji president Lionel Yee said the association welcomed the order as it appeared to be fair. “The Chinese Association welcomes what appears to be fair decision that appears to rectify an anomaly,” he said.
He said he understood people from Taiwan did not require a visa to enter Fiji while previously people from the mainland had to get visas.
A PACNEWS report yesterday quoted an US Congress report that Australia could be uneasy about the growing Chinese influence in the south-west Pacific, with The Sydney Morning Herald saying Australia was concerned about China’s moves into the Pacific although it did not want to see China contained.
“Australia would likely be uneasy with a significant expansion of Chinese influence, particularly diplomatic or defence related, in the South Pacific, a region that it regards as within its area of strategic interest,” the report said
Report by The Mole
