Ambassador of China to Samoa Fei Mingxing with Safata district matai representatives Photo: Supplied
Communities in Safata district, Samoa, whose livelihoods were impacted by maritime closures due to the sinking of the New Zealand navy vessel HMNZ Manawanui last year, have received a WST$50,000 (around NZ$30,000) donation from the Chinese embassy in Apia.
Since the disaster in October 2024, villagers have not been allowed to fish in the area where the Manawanui sank, just off which is just off the coast of Tafitoala village.
Community leaders met with Chinese embassy staff on Wednesday this week to seek livelihood assistance from Beijing.
A spokesperson for the district Tuia Pu'a Leota said the Chinese embassy did not wait long and helped them within a day.
"We express great gratitude for what they have done for us," he said.
"We met with them in Vaie'e on Wednesday, and yesterday (Thursday) I got a call at 5pm to meet with them.
"This is not the end of their assistance; this is only the beginning. We discussed other projects and ways they can help us through the process."
He said the district will meet again next Wednesday to discuss how they will distribute the money.
"It's a great privilege for us and we are humbled."
RNZ Pacific has contacted the Chinese embassy in Samoa for comment.
Community leaders from the Safata District in Samoa met with staff from the Chinese Embassy in Apia. February 2025 Photo: RNZ Pacific/Tuia Pu'a Leota
Tuia said that they have not received any other livelihood assistance from the Samoan government or from New Zealand.
"We have only had seminars and discussions with the government, which have informed us about the processes and what will happen next.
"We wrote to them last year but did not receive a response; they have only spoken to the pulenu'u and not to the traditional council of each village," he said.
In December, anchors were placed for a barge designed to extract fuel, oil, and other pollutants from the sunken ship.
The first removal of fuel occurred at the beginning of last month, with a second cycle starting at the end of that month.
In a statement this week, the NZDF said this second cycle has now been completed.
"The salvors have recovered a significant amount of liquid from the tanks on the Manawanui after operating above the ship for the past 17 days," NZDF senior national representative for operation resolution Commodore Andrew Brown said.
Commodore Brown added that, with the diesel fuel and other pollutants' removal well underway, the focus is now shifting to the next steps for Manawanui.
"The Samoan and New Zealand governments are working closely together to identify what these next steps will be. The area around the Manawanui is still currently off-limits."
