Cooperation with China on transit and social infrastructure is helping the Solomon Islands achieve the preconditions for progress and prosperity, said Jeremiah Manele, the Pacific country’s prime minister.
Manele, who took office in May, discussed his plans to guide the country on a path to meeting its most fundamental national aspirations in a recent interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Beijing.
“Reviving and growing the economy is critical. We have to ensure that people have jobs, that there are employment opportunities so that they have income opportunities so that they can meet basic needs and services. These are important preconditions, the basis for joy, peace and prosperity. Because if they are absent, they are not there, then it will be very difficult to achieve what is in our national anthem, which itself is our prayer, it’s our national prayer,” he said.
Regarding his administration’s priorities, the newly elected prime minister highlighted infrastructure development as a key focus.
“Part of this economic plan is infrastructure building. So far, China has become our biggest infrastructure development partner. As a country, we need more roads; we need more airstrips; we need more energy; we need more telecommunications. These are important pieces of economic infrastructure. But there is also a need for social infrastructure. Schools, clinics,[and] hospitals will continue to be critical. We have a growing population. So, there will continue to be need for more classrooms [and] more hospitals,” said the prime minister.