Samoan PM visits Nanjing to step up agriculture, fisheries industry cooperation

Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa on Thursday arrived in Nanjing of east China's Jiangsu Province, the second stop of her visit to China, with the goal of stepping up bilateral cooperation in agriculture and fisheries.

Mata'afa, who arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday before heading to Jiangsu's Taizhou City to begin a nine-day official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, is being accompanied by a delegation comprising of Samoa's finance minister and other foreign and trade officials.

The delegation toured an agricultural research center in Jiangsu, where the China-Pacific Island Countries Agricultural Cooperation Demonstration Center was unveiled last year.

The research center was jointly established back in May 2020 by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS).

Since the 1980s, JAAS has carried out cooperation projects with Samoa, Vanuatu, and other Pacific Island countries on vegetable cultivation and rice breeding projects, achieving remarkable results.

Samoa's economy heavily relies on agriculture and fisheries, and since the establishment of the cooperation center, agricultural collaboration with China has grown significantly.

During Thursday's tour, the Samoan delegation viewed a display showcasing the partnership's key accomplishments, such as the establishment of joint laboratories and technical support programs, aimed at boosting local farmers' productivity. The delegation was then presented with a variety of crops developed by the research center.

Discussions touched on plans to expand collaboration to foster the island country's economic development.

"Agriculture is one of our priority sectors back home for development. And we see similarities in the provinces that we have visited in China. And we are learning a lot from what we have seen, and also sharing the experiences with the officials here and the experts here and taking it back with us to help us develop our agricultural skills," said Lautimuia Uelese Vaai, Samoan Minister of Finance.

Over the past year, the institution has sent multiple delegations to Pacific Island nations, including Samoa, to advance agricultural technology cooperation projects.

"In Samoa, we conducted a survey research on their vegetable cultivation and livestock farming. During our discussion with the prime minister just now, she showed great interest in these areas, which will also be a key focus for our next phase of cooperation," said Yi Zhongyi, president of the academy.

Sampling the fresh produce, delegation members not only experienced the flavors of innovation but also gained fresh inspiration.

"In Samoa, we have lots of tomatoes but not this species, so maybe we should take some [back]," said Luamanuvae Albert Mariner, Samoa's ambassador to China.

"We are not used to this scale of greenhouses, so it's actually quite eye-opening," said Henry Tunupopo, assistant chief executive officer of the Samoan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Samoan PM visits Nanjing to step up agriculture, fisheries industry cooperation

In a rapidly changing economic landscape, many of China's private enterprises are seeking innovative ways not only to thrive but also to preserve the nation's rich cultural heritage.

One such company is CHJ Jewelry, a leading jewelry brand based in Shantou City, south China's Guangdong Province. The company has turned to ancient craft techniques to stay competitive while keeping traditional Chinese artistry alive.

Filigree inlaying is at the heart of CHJ Jewelry's approach.

"Filigree Inlaying is one of China's eight traditional core jewelry-making techniques. Working on this fine 0.2-millimeter gold thread requires 18 steps to complete. If you're not careful, it will snap," said Huang Ming, an artisan at the company's filigree workshop.

This intangible heritage has a history of nearly 3,000 years. Mastering it is by no means easy.

"It may take two to three months just to learn the basics. To master the skill and turn out presentable artwork takes three to five years," said Huang.

Fewer and fewer young people are learning the craft, posing a risk to its preservation.

CHJ Jewelry realized this threat, and founded this filigree inlaying studio to train young artisans.

"The studio employs about 50 people, with young people making up about 60 percent," said Huang.

They have integrated ancient filigree inlaying techniques into modern jewelry designs.

To better preserve this intangible heritage, the company has established a jewelry museum, opening to tourists for free.

The museum showcases a stunning collection of filigree art, including the world's largest filigree artwork.

"We've spent three years on this. During the three years, about 40 to 50 artisans continuously worked on creating this masterpiece," said Cai Zhonghua, vice president of CHJ Jewelry.

In total, 350 kilograms of silver, four kilograms of gold, and more than 30,000 gemstones were used to complete the artwork, according to Cai.

To further incorporate traditional techniques into modern jewelry, the company has also invited designers from around the world to contribute innovative ideas, including Japan's famous designer Oki Sato.

With the rise of "China-chic", a cultural movement that blends modern fashion with traditional Chinese design elements, young people are showing increasing interest in jewelry that reflects their cultural pride. Last year, more than half of the gold buyers on the e-commerce platform Tmall were young people.

"Young people are very open to China-chic, and we constantly innovate products to reflect that. Private enterprises like ours are more flexible, energetic, daring to take on challenges," said Cai.

He expressed the hope that the innovative products will pass on China's intangible heritage and craftsmanship spirit.

Chinese jewelry company blends innovation with tradition to stay competitive