Fiji's president celebrates Spring Festival with Chinese Fijians

Fijian President Jioji Konrote celebrated Spring Festival together with Chinese Fijians on Sunday, sending well wishes and recognizing the local Chinese community's contributions to the Pacific island country.

Braving tropical heat, a red shirt-clad Konrote, together with First Lady Sarote, who also wore a red dress, arrived at the Suva-based Yat Sen School, to the cheering and applause of the audience mostly composed of Chinese Fijians.

In the company of Gu Yu, charge d'affairs of the Chinese embassy in Fiji and Jenny Seeto, president of the Fiji Chinese Association, Konrote, as the chief guest of the event, followed the Chinese tradition by dotting the eyes of dance lions with red paint, which symbolizes injecting liveliness into them. Then, the Fijian president held a bamboo branch with a hong bao, or red packet, to interact with the lion dancers, which culminated when the hong bao was "eaten" by a dancing lion.

Later, Konrote handed out several hong bao to elderly Chinese Fijians and had a group photo taken with them, wishing the senior citizens good health and longevity.

In his keynote speech, the Fijian president lauded the Chinese Fijians' contributions to Fiji since their first settlement over 160 years ago.

"The Chinese community has contributed so much to the development of Fiji as a nation in many fields, including business, education and the professions. Their contributions have been immense. They have integrated well into the Fijian society and live harmoniously with all. They have set a very good example," Konrote said.

Chinese Fijians have brought with them many traditions and customs that have influenced the general society in Fiji, he said.

"Chinese performances are always a part of national and cultural events in Fiji and the celebration of the Chinese New Year including the special dinners, socials, the lighting of fire crackers, the lion dance, among others, are among the rich traditions that have been adopted across Fijian society," said Konrote.

Seeing Fiji's relationship with China as "a very close and special one", the Fijian president lauded the bilateral ties.

"Fiji has benefitted significantly from this unique relationship in terms of the many development projects that are being carried out in Fiji with assistance from China and the increasing trade and people-to-people contacts between our two countries," he said.

"Given China's ever-growing position in the international community, and its remarkable socio-economic advancements, it is only logical for developing countries like Fiji to look north and cultivate a relationship that is mutually beneficial to both nations," Konrote added.

In conclusion, the Fijian president used the Chinese expression of "xin nian kuai le"(Happy new year) to wish the local Chinese community as well as all other Fijians an ever-prosperous new year. Enditem