China looking forward to next 50-year relationship with the Caribbean
China’s Ambassador to Dominica, Lin Xinjiang, says over the past half-century, Beijing’s “comprehensive cooperative partnership” with the Caribbean has deepened “, setting an exemplary model of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and common development between countries of different sizes”.
In a lengthy statement indicating that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations with the Caribbean, the Chinese diplomat said given the changing global socio-economic environment as well as the security situations, “now more than ever, China and Caribbean countries need to strengthen solidarity, overcome difficulties together, deepen cooperation and create a better future”.
He said that on April 28, this year, to firmly seize the historic opportunity of deepening the relations between the two sides, foreign ministers met virtually and “reviewed the history and experiences of China-Caribbean relations”.
He said the meeting provided an in-depth exchange on building a closer China-Caribbean community with a shared future and reached a critical consensus on deepening high-level talks, promoting post-COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery, strengthening medical cooperation, promoting people-to-people exchanges and strengthening cooperation on climate change.
“Caribbean countries welcome and support the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and commend China as a responsible and leading player in the international arena.”
Xinjiang said China regards Caribbean countries as essential strengths and equal partners of the international community and “firmly supports” Caribbean countries in achieving self-improvement through unity and playing a more significant role in international affairs.
He said during the meeting, Beijing assured the region that it will keep closer policy communication between the two areas and is ready to hold the eighth round of consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Caribbean countries and arrange a special envoy for Caribbean affairs to visit Caribbean countries as early as possible.
“China will continue to provide economic and technological assistance to Caribbean countries without any political strings attached, focus on supporting key projects of interest to Caribbean countries, vigorously develop projects that benefit the people and promote practical technologies such as Juncao.”
He said Beijing would also continue to provide anti-COVID-19 pandemic supplies and vaccines to Caribbean countries until the pandemic is finally defeated and has decided to donate anti-pandemic and medical supplies to Caribbean countries having diplomatic relations with China and the CARICOM Secretariat.
China is also promising to “try to build a pattern of diversified and interactive people-to-people exchanges, actively consider the orderly post-pandemic resumption of people-to-people exchanges and increase the number of government scholarships and personnel training to Caribbean countries.
“China fully understands and supports the reasonable concerns of the small island countries and has decided to set up a China-Caribbean disaster prevention and mitigation fund,” Xinjiang said, adding that over the past 50 years, political mutual trust between the two sides has strengthened.
He said during the last 50 years, the two sides successfully held three sessions of the China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum, with many mutually beneficial cooperation projects being carried out.
“The two sides have jointly advanced Belt and Road cooperation, strengthened the synergy between development strategies, and continuously inject new impetus into mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides to make it high-standard, sustainable and people-centred.”
He said looking forward to the future, China is ready to make joint efforts with Caribbean countries to promote peace and development, draw up a blueprint for developing China-Caribbean countries relations, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and continue to promote friendship between the two peoples.
“I believe that in the next 50 years, China-Caribbean relations will be even more glorious,” Xinjiang added.
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