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Furniture and Solar Street Lamps for the Official Residences

Palikir, POHNPEI (Department of Foreign Affairs): August 8, 2007 - On July 31, Secretary Lorin S. Robert of the Department of Foreign Affairs signed a letter of exchange with Mr. YOU Weijun, Charge'd' Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China.

The letters highlighted the cooperation between the FSM and China and that through friendly consultations, the Chinese Government has agreed to provide furniture, solar water heaters and solar street lamps to the Chinese-aided project, the FSM Leaders Official Residences. The Official Residences were completed and handed over to the FSM in September 2006.

The solar street lamps will be installed at the Official residences and the capital compound. Twenty units will be distributed to each State Government in the federation as part of the assistance package provided by China, considered as a small pilot project for the nation.

In attendance at the signing ceremony were Assistant Secretary for the Division of Asia, Pacific, Africa, & Multilateral Affairs (APAMA), Mr. Kandhi Elieiser, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asian Affairs, Mr. Vincent Sivas. The Chinese side included First Secretary, Mr. CHEN Wenlin, and Attache' Mr. ZHANG Xu.