PNG PM Marape down with Covid-19

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PNG PM Marape down with Covid-19

PORT MORESBY: Papua New Guinea (PNG) Prime Minister James Marape is down with Coronavirus (Covid-19) and was forced to abort the French leg of his trip to China and France.

Marape arrived home yesterday (Feb 6, 2022) after testing positive for Covid-19 in Beijing on Thursday (Feb 3, 2022) evening.

He is, however, fully vaccinated with a booster shot.

But Marape hailed his visit to China a success after comprehensive outcomes that rest, reaffirm and strengthen PNG’s strong relations with China.

Read on for the details as reported by The National:

PM down with Covid

February 7, 2022The NationalMain Stories

PRIME Minister James Marape is down with Coronavirus (Covid-19) and was forced to abort the French leg of his trip to China and France.
Marape arrived home yesterday after testing positive for the Covid-19 in Beijing on Thursday evening.
He is, however, fully vaccinated with a booster shot.
But Marape hailed his visit to China a success after comprehensive outcomes that reset, reaffirm and strengthen Papua New Guinea’s strong relations with China.
This follows his meeting with Chinese premier Li Keqiang during which the two leaders reaffirmed and announced a significant list of deliverables which included:

• PROTOCOL on inspections, quarantine and phytosanitary requirements for wild marine fishing aquatic products from PNG to be exported to China;
• PROTOCOL of quarantine and hygiene requirements for edible aquatic animals from PNG to be exported to China;
• MoU between Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry of the People’s Republic of China and the Agriculture and Livestock Department;
• SIGNED exchange of letters on China Aid Juncao Technical and Upland Rice Technology Corporation Project to PNG Phase 2;
• SIGNING of Government concessional loan on PNG Power 132 KVA grid project second phase from Mt Hagen to Yonki;
• COMPLETION of China/PNG Free Trade Agreement Joint Feasibility Study and commencement of negotiations;
• AGREEMENT to convene in 2022 the second session of the China/PNG Joint Economic and Trade Committee meeting;
• COMPLETION in 2022, the China/PNG aided Anti-Narcotics Laboratory in PNG;
• COMMEMORATION in 2022, the 20th Year of China Medical Team visits to PNG; and
• INAUGURATION in 2022 the China/PNG Friendship Centre of Minimally Invasive Surgery at Port Moresby General Hospital.

“These are significant deliverables to a very productive, albeit short visit to China.
“These deliverables present market opportunities, growth in economic cooperation, future opportunities in trade and some very specific projects.
“The future eventuality of a Free Trade Agreement between China and PNG will be significant.
“It will be our first from a country to country perspective,” he said.
“Today’s inauguration of the commencement of negotiations following the completion of the feasibility study is a significant step.” He also announced that minister Kerenga Kua and Kumul Petroleum, managing-director Wapu Sonk had a very important virtual meeting with Sinopec, a leading Chinese Petroleum and Gas Company that presently buys gas from PNG LNG.
This virtual meeting was held under the Chinese leadership instructions with the view to pick up more gas from Papua LNG and other gas fields like P’nyang.
Marape noted significant interest on the part of Sinopec to have long-term business in the LNG sector, particularly for future upstream and downstream opportunities.
Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom and Manus Governor Charlie Benjamin also had a virtual meeting with a Chinese fishing firm to discuss partnerships with provincial governments and companies in the area of primary industries and downstream processing.
“These are serious intentions to help secure investment interest for the sector, supporting the 10-year fisheries development plan that the Government launched last year.”
Commerce and Industry Minister Willam Samb and Eastern Highlands Governor Peter Numu were also part of the entourage with the latter expressing satisfaction for the Juncao Agriculture Technology for receiving second phase support, a project Xi started in 1998 when he was Governor of Fujian Province.
“Gone are the days when we go and ask for foreign aid,” he said.
“Gone too will be the days when we continue to export our raw materials to third party buyers.”

Country inks deal to export live marine products to Chinese markets

February 7, 2022The NationalNational

PAPUA New Guinea has signed Trade Protocol Agreements for the export of live marine products in the Chinese market, Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom says.
Tom, who accompanied Prime Minister James Marape to China on Thursday, said: “We successfully signed the agreements with the general administration of Customs of the Republic of China.
“The agreements signed are the protocol on inspection, quarantine and veterinary sanitary requirements for wild marine fishing aquatic products,” he said.
“The protocol on quarantine and hygiene requirement is for edible aquatic animals.”
Tom said the protocol on frozen marine products was signed two years ago and now some 78 nationally-based companies would be able to access this giant market directly without any middle-men in the other South East Asian nations.
“This means, their profits can no longer be diluted and having direct access to a large market is a once in life-time opportunity for our people,” he said.
“The Chinese market is so large, we will not be able to supply even a tiny fraction of it, even if our nation used our full potential of production and harvest of our marine products.
“The onus is on us now to take full advantage of this market access by complying with the requirements agreed to in the trade protocol agreements.
“The other most important achievement was our meeting to consolidate and improve on meetings with a potential investor, the Wehei Fishing Association with its joint-venture partners the Shandong Port Group (one of the largest port groups in the world) and the Wehai Investment Group.
“This follows on from a meeting we had in 2019 where they signed a letter of intent to invest US$300 million (about K1.05 billion) in the fisheries sector,” Tom said
“That was not progressed at that time with the Coronavirus (Covid-19) onslaught that year, preventing their proposed visit.
“They now have expressed very strong intentions to invest in our country and will be sending a team to do their own due diligence in the next month or two.”

Sinopec keen for more LNG deals

February 7, 2022The NationalNational

SINOPEC, a Chinese foundation LNG buyer of PNG LNG with two million tonnes per annum on a 20-year contract, is again very keen on more long-term contracts that are about to enter front end engineering design (feed) mid this year.
Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua accompanied Prime Minister James Marape and held a separate meeting to discuss various aspects of petroleum business in PNG and how best Sinopec can partner in the opportunities in upstream and downstream processing, as well as their interest to buy LNG from Papua LNG and the P’nyang gas development project.
Kua said Sinopec also expressed strong interest in upstream participation for current projects, as well as new licences.
He pledged to help with their entry into PNG’s petroleum industry in a broader intent and urged them to partner with PNG’s national oil company, Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd.
Kua was accompanied by Kumul Petroleum managing director Wapu Sonk, who will now follow through on Sinopec’s request.