On February 23, 2023, the China-Pacific Island Countries Center for Disaster Risk Reduction and Cooperation was officially launched in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province. Special Envoy for Pacific Island Countries Affairs of the Chinese Government Qian Bo attended and addressed the launching ceremony. Also present were Executive Vice-governor of Guangdong Province Zhang Hu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Emergency Management Xu Jia'ai, Chief Planner of the Ministry of Natural Resources Wu Haiyang, Minister of Rural Development of Solomon Islands Duddley Kopu and other responsible officials of disaster management departments of Pacific Island Countries (PICs), as well as diplomatic envoys and representatives of PICs to China including Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Tonga.

Qian Bo said in his speech that the founding of the Center embodies China's concrete action to help PICs enhance their capacity for disaster preparedness and relief in light of their immediate needs. It is also another important measure China has taken to implement the Global Security Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping and promote the building of an even closer China-PICs community with a shared future. China has set up the Center in Guangdong, with the aim of bringing into full play the unique advantages of the province, helping PICs in a more targeted and effective manner, and jointly forging a new model of South-South cooperation in disaster preparedness and relief. China is ready to work with PICs to stay true to the principle of consultation and cooperation for shared benefits, jointly develop and make optimum use of this platform, and foster a batch of demonstration projects, so as to improve in real earnest PICs' capacity for disaster preparedness and relief, effectively reduce the negative impact of disasters, and safeguard the fundamental well-being of the people.