7 Jun 2013

Samoa PM scoffs at Chinese company demands

7:19 am on 7 June 2013

The Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele says a Chinese company demanding a 160 year lease on land and other concessions before it invests in the country, is dreaming.

Speaking to New Zealand's Radio Samoa, Tuilaepa made it clear that the government will not entertain any company with such outrageous demands.

The Beijing Zhao Yi Li Investment Management Co. Ltd, visited Samoa last week and among conditions it listed, is the admission of 30,000 Chinese to enter Samoa for its projects which includes an airline, shipping company, and bank.

The Prime Minister says the Chinese company is the latest in a line of deceitful, bragging, incompetent businesses that try to invest in Samoa.

He says another Chinese investment group which wants to build a 500 room hotel in Samoa is now saying it needs to sort out some internal issues which will delay the plans.

Tuilaepa says no reputable company will want to come to Samoa with a population of 180,000, for any major projects because it won't generate enough profit.