Standing Committee members engage with Chinese counterparts

Members of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs yesterday engaged with their counterparts from the Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People’s Congress in China as part of ongoing efforts to further enhance friendly bilateral parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.

The visit followed a study tour from the Fijian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Social Affairs to China in August, last year where the Members travelled to Liaoning Province to observe their best practices in terms of the implementation of their Heritage Law and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Law.

The study tour was mainly focused on assisting the committee with compiling a detailed report about Fiji’s Heritage Bill No. 10 of 2016 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill No. 12 of 2016 which the Members would present to Parliament during the next sitting in February, 2018.

In welcoming the Chinese delegation on behalf of the Speaker Hon. Dr Jiko Luveni, the Deputy Speaker Hon. Ruveni Nadalo acknowledged the healthy relationship between the two committees.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Affairs and Assistant Minister for Agriculture Hon. Viam Pillay also welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the friendly partnership shared by the two Standing Committees.

“We look forward to this partnership developing in the future,” Hon. Pillay said.

“The very fact that you have travelled here to meet with us today re-emphasises the growing bond between our two Parliaments beginning from last year when we travelled to China to your province to study and observe how China implements its laws on the two main areas concerning Heritage and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

“We convey our sincere gratitude to the Liaoning Province People’s Congress for the support rendered to the Committee last year.”

Standing Committee of Liaoning Provincial People’s Congress Vice Chairman Mr Zhou Zhongxuan thanked the Fijian Parliament for its continued cooperation, adding they were always ready to assist Fiji in whichever way they could.

Mr Zhongxuan said they were willing to accommodate the committee in their future undertakings or exchange programmes in China.

Ends