2023 Pacific Games: Solomons submits plan to China for support
Quoting Radio New Zealand – 22 October 2019
“Solomon Islands has submitted a detailed proposal to China for support in hosting the 2023 Pacific Games.
“The prime minister last week announced China had promised grant funding of more than $US50 million to support the country's hosting of the games, the ABC reported.
“Mannaseh Sogavare's announcement came after an historic state visit to China following the severing of diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
“A senior advisor to the Solomons Government, Clint Flood, said since the diplomatic switch they had met twice with teams from China about support for the event.
“Beijing was now considering a Solomon Islands' proposal, which involved China taking over Taiwan's previous commitments including the construction of the Main Stadium and several other key venues, Mr Flood said.
"So before when we had Taiwan doing the main stadium, and then some other projects beside it," he explained.
"We've now consolidated and said well we believe that China would be interested and possibly would support a revised complex which would have a main stadium, and next to it, some other required facilities for the Games."
‘The timeline the national authority was working to aimed to have construction beginning mid 2020 with all facilities to be completed by December 2022 six months before the games opening ceremony, he said.
‘Solomon Islands was also in the process of finalising funding commitments from other donor parties for the games.’
Copyright @ 2019, Radio New Zealand.
