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| Wu Yi：Deepening Trade and Economic Cooperation Realizing Common Development |
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| 2007-09-08 14:23 |
Speech by H.E. Mme. Wu Yi, Vice Premier of the State Council, P.R. China
At the Opening Ceremony of
The 2nd China-Caribbean Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum
September 7, 2007
Honorable Mme. Mia Mottley, Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados,
Respected ministers and ambassadors from the Caribbean countries,
Friends from the industrial and business community of China and the Caribbean countries,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. Today, the 2nd China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum grandly opens in the beautiful city of Xiamen. I am very happy to gather with all of you for a joint discussion of the visions and strategies of our cooperation and development. At this juncture, on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China, I would like to warmly congratulate on the convening of this Forum and extend a note of all-out welcome to the distinguished guests and representatives attending this event.
I feel very much close to so many friends coming from the Caribbean region, as greeting you here brings me back to the days when I was leading a Chinese government delegation to visit eight Caribbean countries at the beginning of year 2003. I could recall the bright sunshine, crystal-clear sea, tender-soft beaches and the melodic steel drum music of your region. The beautiful scenes and the friendly passion of the local people in the Caribbean have left an indelible mark in my memory, which time and again touches the chord of my longing cherishment of them even till today. I very much hope to have an opportunity to tour the Caribbean again, engaging friends there for continuing our friendship and pursuing common prosperity.
I am very pleased to note that ever since 2003, the relationship between China and the Caribbean countries has been further strengthened, underlined by more frequent exchanges and constantly enlarging cooperation. Countries including Guyana, Suriname, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenade and Bahamas have established their embassies in Beijing, laying out positive conditions for the further evolvement of China-Caribbean relationship.
During the past five years, import and export trade between China and the Caribbean region has been developing rapidly, growing as high as 32.7 percent on an annualized basis. Trade for 2006 was 4.4 billion US dollars in value. China-Caribbean trade reached 2.23 billion US dollars for the first half of this year, increasing by 22 percent compared to the same period of last year, with the volume for this entire year expected to exceed 5 billion US dollars. The scope of China-Caribbean trade and economic cooperation has been constantly broadened, with our cooperation moving into greater depth in such fields as human resource development, investment, tourism, agriculture, education, banking, infrastructure building and economic assistance. Cooperation projects between China and the Caribbean countries involving stadiums, office buildings, art centers, conference centers and markets built with Chinese aid in the local communities have brought benefits to their peoples. China has trained up to more than six hundred government officials and technical professionals for the Caribbean countries, leading to sound social and economic benefits. The Chinese companies have also stepped up their exchanges and cooperation with their Caribbean counterparts. They have become increasingly enthusiastic about exploring each other’s market, having achieved mutually beneficial and win-for-all results through two-way investment. In addition, China has entered into the implementation MOU of Chinese outbound tourist groups traveling to foreign countries with such Caribbean countries as Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Grenade, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago while already launching organized group-traveling programs to countries like Bahamas, Barbados and Jamaica. Tourism cooperation between China and the Caribbean boasts huge potential and a bright prospect. The above-mentioned achievements are the consequence of the concerted efforts by both China and the Caribbean countries.
Ladies and gentlemen, Friends,
Today’s world is experiencing complex and profound changes. The global economy is growing steadily, science and technology is developing by leaps and bounds, and global industrial restructuring process and the flow and transfer of production factors are picking up steam. All these have provided a rare-found opportunity for countries to develop their economies. Meanwhile, the North-South gap is getting bigger, discrepancy between the rich and the poor is being made more drastic, and the issue of unbalanced development is becoming all the more prominent. Developing countries including China and the Caribbean countries are confronted with the grave challenge on identifying a solution to sustainable development. China and the Caribbean countries are dedicating themselves to economic and social development. In face of the new international situation and the development trend of economic globalization, it is the strong aspiration of out peoples as well as our shared task to follow the positive while keeping away from the negative elements, join hands and march forward together, seize the opportunity, tackle the challenges and move in tune with the times.
In order to satisfy the need of strengthening cooperation and pursuing common development against the new backdrop, in year 2004, China and the Caribbean countries have jointly decided to set up the mechanism of China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum, aiming at further “strengthening trade and economic cooperation, realizing common development”. In February 2005, the first Ministerial Conference of the China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum was held in Kingston, the Capital of Jamaica. Mr. Zeng Qinghong, Vice President of China and leaders from several Caribbean countries have attended the Forum. In his speech at the opening ceremony of the Forum, Vice President Zeng announced the policies and measures to develop relations between China and the Caribbean region, the content of which has been positively received by the Caribbean countries. During the Forum, China has reached extensive consensus with the Caribbean countries, siging the Guiding Framework of Economic and Trade Co-operation of China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Co-operation Forum Ministerial Conference 2005, China-Caribbean Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum and many other bilateral cooperation agreements, identifying six key cooperation areas including trade, investment, agriculture and fishery, tourism and transportation, banking and human resource development. The establishment of such a Forum mechanism represents another important milestone in the history of China-Caribbean trade and economic cooperation. It has laid a solid foundation for more broadly-based and in-depth cooperation between China and the Caribbean region in a faster manner. We need to fully leverage upon this mechanism and nurture it into a successful role model for South-South cooperation. Today, we are gathering here for the opening ceremony and plenary session of the 2nd Forum, the China-Caribbean Business Conference and the seminar on agriculture cooperation and that on tourism cooperation scheduled for this afternoon and tomorrow, as well as the International Investment Forum. I am convinced that given your active participation and joint efforts, the 2nd Forum is guaranteed of its complete success.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
China will firmly and unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, adhere to the policy of peace, development and cooperation in international affairs, and “pursue peace and development through cooperation”. China believes that every country, large or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, is an equal member in the international society, thus should be treated with respect and equality. China attaches great importance to friendship and cooperation with the Caribbean countries, regarding it as an important part of the relationship between China and developing countries. We respect the social system and development path chosen by each Caribbean country according to its own domestic situation, respect the efforts made by those countries to safeguard sovereignty and independence, and to uphold regional peace and stability. We support the joint self-development and regional integration among the Caribbean countries. As for the countries with which China has already established diplomatic relationship, the Chinese side is willing to deepen the cooperation with them, based on the principle of equality and mutual benefit. As for the few countries in the region which have not yet established diplomatic relationship with China, the Chinese side is willing to normalize the relationship as early as possible, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.
In recent years, the Caribbean countries have made great achievement in developing the economy and improving people’s livelihood. China feels happy for them. Meanwhile, we understand that there are certain difficulties on the path of development, for which China offers its deepest compassion. We are devoted to realizing the UN Millennium Development Goals, and to helping other countries strengthen their self-development capability. China is not a wealthy country, but it will continue to provide assistance, which is within its capacity, to the friendly Caribbean countries without any political condition. The Chinese side is calling for the establishment of a dialogue mechanism with the Caribbean community, so as to further deepen the cooperation between China and the Caribbean region, to support the establishment of the Caribbean regional development fund, and to actively consider the financing of the fund.
In international affairs, China firmly upholds the interests of all the developing countries, including that of the Caribbean countries. China and the Caribbean countries have always supported each other, and cooperated with each other closely. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China supports the reasonable requests of all countries on issues such as the exploration and protection of marine resources, climate change, as well as the rights to equally participate in international and regional affairs. China is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Caribbean countries, so as to promote negotiations on climate change, stepping up our efforts to handle climate change and to improve our living conditions. During the WTO Doha round of trade negotiations, China is willing to join the Caribbean countries to oppose the sub-categorization of developing member countries, and to truly realize the special and differentiated treatment to developing countries.
There is a Chinese saying that, “distance tests a horse's strength, and time reveals a person's heart.” It is not China’s expedient measure to develop friendship with the Caribbean countries. Rather, it is a strategic decision. History has proven and will continue to prove that China is always a sincere, trustworthy and reliable friend and partner to the Caribbean countries.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
To deepen the friendship between China and the Caribbean countries and to strengthen our win-win cooperation, is the wish of both people and is in line with the fundamental and long- term interest of both sides. We hope that all parties of the forum will, by adhering to the direction and key points stated in the Guiding Framework of Economic and Trade Co-operation of China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Co-operation Forum Ministerial Conference 2005, and building on the past achievements, further strengthen cooperation and promote practical cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture and fishing, tourism and transportation, finance, human resource development, etc. The Chinese side will adopt the following measures in the future:
1. To improve trade conditions, and to promote balanced trade.
The Chinese side will strengthen cooperation with the Caribbean countries in entry-exit inspection and quarantine, improve market access conditions so as to increase import from the region. The Chinese side will hold Caribbean product exhibitions in China, creating conditions to promote the products of Caribbean enterprises in China, to help Chinese enterprises better understand Caribbean products, and to increase imports from the region.
2. To provide financial support to promote investment cooperation.
China will provide RMB 4 billion of preferential loan within the next three years to encourage more Chinese companies to invest in the Caribbean countries and promote investment cooperation in infrastructure construction, resource development, industrial, agricultural and forestry production, tourism, telecommunications and so forth.
3. To expand training scale and strengthen capacity building.
China will help Caribbean countries train their government officials and various technical professionals by offering 2,000 training opportunities within the next three years. Meanwhile, China will continue to provide scholarships to students from the Caribbean and send Chinese teachers and medical teams to countries in need.
4. To broaden technical exchanges and deepen cooperation in agriculture and fishery.
China is prepared to send experts in agriculture to counties in need and work actively with Caribbean countries to carry out cooperation in crop planting and farming, agricultural equipment production, agricultural products processing, agricultural technology exchanges and transfer, germplasm resources exchange, aquatic farming, fishery resources development and so forth.
5. To implement tourism agreements and promote tourism cooperation.
China will strengthen exchanges with Caribbean countries in sharing experiences regarding the development of tourism, actively push forward the implementation of memorandums on tourism cooperation and encourage more Chinese citizens to travel to visit Caribbean countries for both business and leisure purposes.
6. To step up personnel exchanges and enhance mutual understanding.
China will send several business delegations organized by relevant import and export chambers of commerce to carry out inspections on trade and investment environment in the Caribbean countries and seek cooperation opportunities. Meanwhile, China will continue its efforts on strengthening cooperation among intermediary agencies between the two sides, such as chambers of commerce and business associations and encourage exchanges among business people.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends,
China and Caribbean countries are economically complementary, so there is a huge potential for the two sides to carry out cooperation. As long as we follow the principle of “looking forward, proceeding in order and step by step, mutual benefit and common development”, the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Caribbean countries are bound to have a bright and broad prospect. Bearing a common goal in heart, let us make concerted efforts for peace, harmony, stability, prosperity of the world and for the friendship and cooperation between China and the Caribbean countries.
Finally, I wish the second China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum a complete success and all our friends from the Caribbean a pleasant stay in China.
Thank you. |
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