On 14 September 2026, Ambassador of China to Vanuatu, H.E. Mr. Li Minggang, paid a courtesy call on the newly elected Lord Mayor of Port Vila City Council Honorable Samuel Iani. Ambassador Li congratulated Lord Mayor Samuel Iani on his new appointment.

Ambassador Li briefed Hon. Iani on the friendly relations between Port Vila and Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Foshan, and encouraged the new City Council to strengthen exchanges and engagement with the Chinese side, and to leverage sister-city cooperation to further advance China-Vanuatu relations.

Hon. Iani expressed appreciation for China’s longstanding support for the municipal development and social development of Vanuatu and Port Vila. He said that China is an “action-oriented partner” in supporting Vanuatu’s development, and that Port Vila is willing to continue making good use of its friendly-city relations to promote Vanuatu-China friendship and local-level cooperation. He looked forward to visiting China at an early opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the country and explore new areas of cooperation.