Consultation seeks to strengthen existing relationship

 

A Chinese Government official says the time is ripe to step up co-operation between China and the countries of the Caribbean.
 
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Chao, made the comments as he delivered remarks during the opening of the Sixth Round of Consultations between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Caribbean Countries that have Diplomatic Relations with China and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, at the Hilton Barbados yesterday morning.
 
The Vice Minister said deepening relations between China and the Caribbean is important, as the world is confronted with new challenges. He noted that as international economies continue to face difficulties, many countries are faced with serious downward economic pressure and the world is also confronted with other global issues, for example climate change and terrorism, which are threatening the lives of people.
 
His comments came as he spoke of China’s effort to enter a “new normal” of economic development, promoting economic restructuring. He said that as the countries in the Caribbean too are advancing their own economic development and rolling out new economic plans for growth, it is important to build synergies between the two sides to help strengthen the existing relationship. To that end, he said the consultation would be useful in reviewing the progress of China-Caribbean relations since the fifth consultation held in 2012, and to make plans and explore the possibility of further strengthening exchanges in various sectors.
 
“I am ready to work together withall of you to ensure a complete success of this round of consultation, so that this consultation can lay down a new foundation for the further progress of our relationship,” he said.
 
Topics which were to be discussed yesterday included: practical co-operation between Caribbean countries and China; the Taiwan issue; debt management of CARICOM Member States; as well as international issues such as the reform of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs and Crime. (JRT)

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