The launching ceremony of the China-Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Center for Disaster Risk Reduction Cooperation was held in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province on February 23. Xu Jiaai, Vice Minister of Emergency Management, Zhang Hu, Executive Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, Qian Bo, Special Envoy for Pacific Island Countries Affairs of the Chinese Government, and Wu Haiyang, Chief Planner of the Ministry of Natural Resources attended and addressed the ceremony. Heads of disaster management authorities of 10 PICs that have diplomatic relations with China, their envoys to China and Chinese envoys to PICs attended the meeting in a hybrid manner. Ambassador Wang Xiaolong, head of disaster management authorities of the Cook Islands and Niue participated in the meeting online.

Xu Jiaai pointed out that China and the PICs are both located in the Asia-Pacific region and have maintained sound cooperation in disaster management for a long time. China's efforts to promote the establishment of the China-PICs disaster management cooperation mechanism and the launch of China-PICs Center for Disaster Risk Reduction Cooperation are concrete measures to implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and the leaders of the PICs, which will help two sides jointly tackle the challenges of disaster risks. He hopes that China and the PICs will consolidate consensus, strengthen coordination, support each other and make full use of the Center to carry out practical cooperation. China is willing to provide assistance in emergency rescue and supplies according to the needs of the PICs.

Zhang Hu expressed that Guangdong has developed close cooperation relationship with the PICs in various fields, and the two sides have scored remarkable achievements in disaster risk reduction. Guangdong will give full play to its unique advantages and take the launch of the Center as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation with the PICs in disaster risk reduction. Qian Bo said that the Center is a practical action of China to help PICs improve their capabilities by focusing on the actual their needs. China will continue to strengthen cooperation based on equality, mutual respect, win-win outcome, openness and inclusiveness, in light of what the PICs think and expect. Wu Haiyang said that China will speed up the construction of China- PICs Sub-Center for Marine Disaster Risk Reduction Cooperation, work with the PICs to improve their marine disaster risk reduction capabilities, and actively respond to climate change and marine disasters for a sustainable blue economic system.

On behalf of the envoys of the PICs to China, Ambassador of Fiji to China, H.E. Manasa Tagicakibau, indicated that China-PICs Center for Disaster Risk Reduction Cooperation, by upholding the principle of “people first, life first”, will complement the 2050 Strategy for Blue Pacific Continent. In view of the diversity of disaster risks of PICs, Mr. Tagicakibau hopes that the Center will strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, play a positive role in promoting the China-Pacific Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Heads of Department of Emergency Management of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial People's Government Foreign Affairs Office, and Municipal Government JiangMen attended the ceremony.