CAPTION: Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama is escorted by Huawei Technologies Senior Vice President Mr Qu Wenchu. Photo: MINFO.
The Fijian Government’s commitment towards making Information and Communications Technological services and products more accessible to ordinary Fijians was commended this week by Huawei Technologies.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama met this week in Beijing with the company’s vice president Mr Qu Wenchu to look at ways of exploring new business opportunities in Fiji.
“The National Broadband Policy which came into effect last year will greatly enhance Fiji’s ICT and broadband capabilities,” he said.
“I know that through the establishment of the policy, this has seen an enhanced interest in the Fijian public especially from those in the rural areas through the establishment of tele – centres.”
Huawei Technologies which was established in 1987 has grown to become the leading ICT company in China and ranked among other top ICT providers around the globe.
The company now has 45 research centers around the globe and recorded a profit of $2.5 billion at the end of the 2012 financial year.
“Statistics have revealed that a 10 per cent increase in the broadband penetration would directly see an increase of 1.5 per cent in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which I know Fiji will soon be seeing the fruits of the establishment of this very important tool for growth,” Mr Wenchu said.
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama in thanking Mr Wenchu and Huawei Technologies said Fiji being the first country with a broadband policy would open windows not only for the country but also the Pacific.
“Fiji is the first country in the Pacific to establish a National Broadband Policy and we hope that this would increase ICT development in Fiji and the Pacific,” Prime Minister Bainimarama said.
The Prime Minister met today with the President of the People’s Republic of China His Excellency Xi Jinping and held bilateral talks in Beijing.
MINFO