Thursday marked the grand opening of the Tonga High School Indoor Stadium, the main venue of the Forum Leaders Meeting – a state-of-the-art facility inaugurated by Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala.
The event was graced by the presence of Crown Princess Sinaitakala, Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku, and Liu Weimin, the Chinese Ambassador to Tonga.
The new indoor stadium, which spans 4,311 square meters and stands 19 meters high, will serve as the main venue for the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum, scheduled from August 26-30, 2024.
The multi-purpose facility is designed to host not only sports events but also large-scale celebrations and conferences, marking a significant addition to Tonga’s infrastructure.
The indoor stadium is a key component of the Tonga High School Sports Complex Project, the largest China-Aid project currently underway in Tonga, with an investment of TOP$62 million (USD$27 million). The project, which includes an outdoor rugby field, two outdoor tennis courts, four outdoor netball courts, a renovated outdoor basketball court, and additional facilities, is expected to be fully completed by December 2024.
The construction was a collaborative effort involving the expertise of Chinese construction companies Jiangsu Guangyu Construction Group Co. Ltd, Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co. Ltd, and Shenyang Engineering Supervision and Consultation Co. Ltd.
Despite challenges such as the short timeframe to get the stadium ready by this month and delays in the arrival in Tonga of container shipments carrying building materials, the team successfully completed the stadium in time for the Forum.
Ambassador Liu Weimin emphasised China’s commitment to Tonga, stating, “China is Tonga’s reliable partner and true friend in need.” In addition to the stadium, China is also supporting the Tonga High School Renovation Project and has donated 20 brand new Great Wall TANK 500 protocol vehicles.
The decision to host the Pacific Islands Forum at the new stadium, rather than the 17-year-old Fa’onelua Convention Centre, reflects a shared vision between Tonga and China for the nation’s future development.
The completion of the stadium reflected the the strength of the partnership between Tonga and China, with contributions from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Lands and Survey, and the Ministry of Infrastructure. The stadium’s remaining finishing works will be completed after the forum leaders meeting is over.
