The city view of Suva, capital of Fiji Photo: Shan Jie/GT

As Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is paying an official visit to China from August 12 to August 21, analysts expect more practical cooperation projects between the two countries.

China and Fiji complement each other and are natural partners in economic cooperation. The two countries enjoy constant economic and trade exchanges and vigorous cooperation in various fields, analysts said.

They also noted that China and Fiji are expected to explore new cooperation opportunities in green industries, such as renewable energy generation.

Relations between China and Fuji have continued to make progress during the past 49 years of diplomatic ties, with fruitful outcomes in exchanges and cooperation in various areas, bringing benefits to the peoples of both countries, China's Foreign Ministry said.

For example, some practical projects were conducted or are in progress within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), such as the Juncao project and some infrastructure projects.

China and Fiji signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation under the BRI in November 2018 in Suva, capital of Fiji.

China's Juncao project has played a pivotal role in the country's decades-long effort to reduce poverty. The technology of Juncao was later introduced to the world, and started benefiting Fiji in 2014 when it was introduced in the Pacific Island country.

Juncao, literally meaning "mushroom" and "grass," as the name suggests, can be used to grow edible mushrooms, as livestock feed or as a green barrier to stop desertification.

The Juncao project has taken root in Fiji, becoming an important source of income for the local people. China has provided technical experts to impart knowledge of crop planting techniques to the Fijian people, Sun Chang, a research fellow with the Institute of Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"This Juncao grass is really helpful to us," Neori Tiko, a worker at the Tadra farm in Nadi, the third-largest city in Fiji, told the Global Times in a previous interview. 

The Tadra farm started to develop Juncao technology in 2020 and used Juncao grass as feed for horses and for mushroom production, said Tiko.

The China-Pacific Island Countries Juncao Technology Demonstration Center was put into use in Fiji in March 2023, which can provide the region with more services of Juncao technology, Lin Dongmei, deputy director of the China National Engineering Research Center of Juncao Technology under the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

"The construction of infrastructure facilities by China in Fiji has laid a foundation for regional development, providing more opportunities for the locals. This will eventually yield mutual benefits for both countries," Sun said.