在早期中斐关系中，檀香木和海参扮演了极其重要的角色。古代中国对檀香木和海参的大量需求，使得中斐两国因欧洲殖民者而产生间接联系，而西方殖民者为了发展种植园经济在南太地区引进的契约华工，成为中斐关系的缘起，客观上为后来中斐关系发展奠定了基础。
Sandalwood and sea cucumber played an extremely important role in the early China-Fiji relationship.It is because of the huge demand for sandalwood and sea cucumber in ancient China that China had a connection with Fiji and European colonists.In order to develop the plantation economy，Western colonists introduced Chinese indentured Labor in the South Pacific region which not only made China-Fiji relations more rich and diverse，it also laid the foundation for the later Sino-Fiji friendly relations.
