(Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater, Georgetown, Guyana) – The China-Caribbean relationship has deep historical roots grounded in the arrival of Chinese nationals in countries across the region beginning in 1806 with the arrival of Chinese indentured workers in Trinidad and Tobago. Indeed, the rich tapestry of Caribbean culture and many areas of social and economic life have been infused by the Chinese contributions for over two centuries. As China has increased its global and regional outreach and engagement at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels, new dimensions have been added to the China-Caribbean relationship and experience.
China is now a leading source of investment and development cooperation and an important trading partner for the Caribbean. The Caribbean values China’s leadership in South-South Cooperation and many Member States are active partners in the Belt and Road Initiative.
Building on the dynamic engagement between China and Caribbean partners at the bilateral level, this forum is a critical mechanism for collective engagement. Since its inauguration in 2005 it has provided a very important platform for fruitful collective engagement between China and participating Caribbean Community Members.
As we gather here on Hainan Island, it is fitting that we look back at the rich legacy of the Forum which has played a significant role in shaping the China-Caribbean trade and economic co-operation relationship.
At the first Forum in Kingston, Jamaica in 2005 held under the Theme – Promote Economic and Trade Cooperation for Economic Development – commitments were made to build cooperation in human resources, tourism, transportation, agriculture and fisheries and finance.
At the most recent forum in Port of Spain in 2011, held under the Theme – Development Cooperation, Win for All – commitments were made to:
- enhance financial and investment cooperation (China announced US$1 billion in preferential loans to the Caribbean countries and donated US$1 million to the CARICOM Development Fund).
- Expand capacity building cooperation including support by China for disaster mitigation and prevention.
- Strengthen cooperation in environmental protection and new energies
- Intensify cultural, educational and health cooperation
- Promote closer trade and tourism cooperation, and
- Boost cooperation in agriculture and fisheries.
Looking to our engagement at this the Fourth Forum, we welcome the emphasis on trade cooperation, recognizing that while trade between our region and China is significant, it remains quite imbalanced. China remains a significant source of imports but a modest market for our exports. CARICOM imports from China amounted to $1.8 billion in 2021 and CARICOM exports to China amounted to US$208 million.
China’s readiness to support developing countries through specific trade policy measures has been demonstrated in the recent announcement of the granting of duty-free access to China for 100 per cent of the products of African LDC partner countries. This extraordinary trade measure demonstrates China’s strong support for LDCs within its programmes of solidarity and support for developing countries, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
We welcome China’s significant engagement with and support for SIDS in its South South Cooperation agenda – and, in this context, we are encouraged by the call for this Forum to consider cooperation in trade facilitation and liberalisation, sanitary and phytosanitary matters, standards and conformity assessment, and E commerce (Digital). We are very interested in the suggested dialogue on free trade cooperation, while recognising that this will require careful consideration and due attention to the sensitivities of our various economic sectors.
We are pleased that the private sector is an integral part of the Forum; they will play a central role in enhancing our trade cooperation at all levels.
We are confident that the discussions on development cooperation will continue to reflect China and the participating Caribbean countries’ shared commitment to mutual development with due consideration for the challenges posed to the Caribbean by the existential threat of climate change and the many shocks faced on an ongoing basis.
We look forward to contributing to the dialogue on China-Caribbean Trade and Economic Forum led by Ministers from participating countries and China.
I Thank You – Xie Xie.
