Fiji’s debt to China is 10.6% of the total amount of government loans - Sayed-Khaiyum

Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says that Fiji’s debt to China is 10.6% of the total amount of government loans.

This comes after SODELPA Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka alleged in a 60 Minutes program that China is likely to take over our wharves and airports if we are unable to pay back Chinese loans.

Rabuka also showed a private investment building on McGregor Road and claimed that it was built from a government loan. 

Sayed-Khaiyum says that Rabuka has become very unpatriotic just to get some air time with 60 minutes.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Fiji’s total government debt is $4.861 billion while our total loan from China is $516 million.

He also says that we have Australians and New Zealanders building resorts in Fiji worth millions of dollars where they come and invest their money and so do the Chinese.

Sayed-Khaiyum says that there is no explanation as to why Rabuka said in the 60 Minutes show that very soon Fiji will have to give up its ports and airports as it was not funded by the Chinese.

He says that Rabuka was willing to sensationalise just to appear and fit into the narrative of 60 minutes who had an angle.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says that there were a lot of comments made in the show about people in the construction industry crying out for jobs, while in fact, in Fiji we have a shortage of people in this industry.

He says that he is very concerned about a leader of an alternative government, who is willing to go out and spread false information.

The Attorney General says that he had given a very long interview to 60 minutes explaining the total debt exposure, but they chose to cut out a lot of comments.