Fiji has made significant strides in its economic development, with Gross Domestic Product up from US$1.9 billion in 1994 to about US$5.8 billion today.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said this in his ministerial speech on his state visit to the People’s Republic of China last week.

The PM made the statement, while making a comparison between China’s GDP growth from just over US$560 billion in 1994 to US$18.5 trillion today.

He also highlighted that China had elevated its GDP per capita from a modest US$470 in 1994 to around US$13,000 per capita at present.

Mr Rabuka said Fiji’s GDP per capita has similarly improved, increasing from around US$2,500 in 1994 to over U$6,200 today.

“These figures reflect steady progress in a country with a population that has grown from just under 750,000 in 1994 to around 980,000 today,” the PM said.

“While our progress is notable, a comparison to the People’s Republic of China highlights that significant difference in scale and speed of development between our two countries. “This highlights the importance of recognising our unique challenges, and the need to continuously adapt and learn from global success stories.”