Over 100 Chinese Tongans went to China for the Spring Festival and have been stuck there since the CoViD-19 outbreak. They would like to return to Tonga, said the Chinese Ambassador to Tonga, HE Cao Xiaolin in Nuku'alofa today.

At the same time some Chinese currently residing in Tonga would like to return to China for many reasons, including medical purposes but cannot because there are no flights, he said, at a press conference today at the Chinese Embassy on Vuna Road.

However, they might be waiting longer along with stranded Tongans overseas, with unofficial reports that Tonga may extend its international border closure beyond 12 June.

In the meantime, Ambassador Xiaolin said the Chinese community here in Tonga are fine and are very happy with the night time curfew currently in place from 10:00pm to 5:00am.

“They feel much safer. They hope the government will keep this night curfew for a long time, forever.”

He also applauded Tonga for staying CoViD-19 free with its series of strict prevention and control measures.

CoViD-19 support

The ambassador called the press conference to speak about Tonga and China’s support to each other since the CoViD-19 outbreak. Tonga had sent them support while China was under lockdown.

"His Majesty King Tupou VI, HRH Princess Pilolevu Tuita, Hon. PM Tu’i’onetoa, Hon. Speaker Fakafanua, Hon. Minister Tu’ipulotu, Hon. Minister Vaipulu, and the people from all walks of life supported the Chinese government and the Chinese people in the form of letters, video clips, warm words, donations and so on," he said.

China had also supported Tonga with its CoViD-19 preparations, with funding donations, as well as providing medical supplies. A second batch of PPE donated from China is now in Fiji, waiting to be brought over to Tonga.

Tonga’s debt to China

China is providing loan payment relief to countries who have taken out loans from them, including Tonga, due to economic setbacks caused by the CoViD-19 outbreak.

Ambassador Xiaolin said that China’s President Xi announced that China would suspend the payment of debt this year. This includes Tonga’s USD$119million loan from China that Tonga required for rebuilding Nuku'alofa in the wake of the 2006 riots.

He reiterated that it was “just suspend the payment of debt this year”.

“And China also suffered the same as all the countries in the world. Chinese people suffered a lot from the CoViD-19 pandemic.

“This loan has, in my observation, and also the Tongan Government told us that this loan has helped Tonga and the Tongan people through that difficult time.”

As for loan payments next year, he said “we hope we will find a way that is agreeable for both countries to address this issue.”

China and the US

Ambassador Xiaolin took the opportunity to refute “fabricated allegations from the US” about the origin of the virus.

“We all know that China was the first country to report the virus. This does not mean the virus originated from China.”

He said the Wuhan P4 Laboratory is a government cooperation program between China and France, with its design, construction and management all following international standards, and operations protected by special facilities and strict protocols.

“Operations of the Wuhan P4 Laboratory have all along been safe and stable. There had been no SARS-CoV-2 in the lab until 30 December 2019 when the first COVID-19 patient specimens were delivered there for testing ,three days after the local government received first reports of the virus. No one in the WIV has so far been infected by COVID-19.”

He said China provided timely information to the world in an open, transparent and responsible manner.

Vaccine development

China is working with around 10 countries to develop the vaccine either on their own or collaboratively, said Ambassador Xiaolin.

“But no scientist can predict when this vaccine will be developed and be widely applied to ‘human bodies’ because the virus is so complex, that a vaccine should be very cautiously developed.”

He said President Xi announced at the opening of 73^rd virtual meeting of World Health Assembly, that when the vaccine is available in China, it will be available to all countries, including Tonga.

Digicel Tonga

A report that a Chinese company was buying Digicel, was quashed by HE Xiaolin. He said he liaised with his colleagues and tried to get some information from Digicel about the matter.

"I don’t know any Chinese company that is interested in purchasing Digicel. And also Digicel has denied this purchase," he said,