The China Cultural Center in Fiji was jointly inaugurated by senior Chinese and Fijian officials on Dec 15, 2015. [Photo/http://fj.chineseembassy.org]

The China Cultural Center in Fiji was jointly inaugurated by senior Chinese and Fijian officials on December 15, taking cultural exchanges between the two friendly nations to a higher level.

Ding Wei, vice minister of China's Ministry of Culture, Jiko Luveni, Fiji's parliament speaker and Mereseini Vuniwaqa, Fiji's minister for lands and mineral resources who is also serving as acting minister for foreign affairs were among those who jointly unveiled the China Cultural Center.

During his state visit to Fiji in November 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would establish a cultural center in Fiji.

"A year later, we are here to celebrate the official inauguration of the center, which ushers in a new era for the cultural exchange, and marks a significant outcome in the development of friendly and trustworthy partnership between China and Fiji," Ding Wei said.

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The center will be a window for Fijians to experience Chinese culture and arts, and will also be a bridge for Fijian culture and arts to reach the Chinese people, said Ding.

"We are confident that this center will further advance our mutual understanding and facilitate the friendly relations between China and Fiji, as well as between China and the Pacific," he added.

Calling the establishment of the China Cultural Center in Fiji a "visionary initiative", Luveni commended the bilateral relations and China's role on the international stage.

"Non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries is a diplomatic principle of the People's Republic of China, which continues to play an important role in the process of democratization in Fiji," Luveni said, adding that China has always adhered to international obligations and provided assistance within its capacity while adhering to the principles of internationalism.

"Fiji has continuously acknowledged the unselfish endeavors of the People's Republic of China in sharing the vital lessons garnered from its development experiences and sees the desire to explore and connect as a way to learn and grow - not to dilute our identities but to enrich our self-knowledge," Luveni said.

The China Cultural Center in Fiji, the first ever in the Pacific island country, proudly holds one of the world's most ancient and richest culture and its historical information, she added.

The China Cultural Center in Fiji will present cultural events, provide Chinese language and cultural courses and information service, and serve as a platform for intellectual dialogues, said Deng Xianfu, director of the center.