China major financial backer of 2023 Pacific Games

China is to fund the majority of sporting facilities for the 2023 Pacific Games in Solomon Islands.

The announcement has been made by the Head of the Chinese Embassy Taskforce, Yao Ming.

Yao said Beijing had confirmed the funding so the next move would see a signing of a letter of exchange with the Solomon Islands government.

China has sent two working teams from the Beijing Architect Institute to do geo-tech surveys and Yao said in two months' time they would finish the preliminary survey work.

He added that after an agreement signing, his government would send a technical assessment team to the Solomons to begin the job on the ground.

Secretary to the Solomons Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Hosting Authority, Dr Jimmy Rogers, said China would help by funding more than 70 percent of the facilities needed for the games.