Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be visiting China in November in a bid to strengthen bilateral relationships and co-operation with that country. By the time Persad-Bissessar arrives in China, T&T’s first embassy there will be in operation in Beijing. Yesterday, Persad-Bissessar made the announcement at a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, which was attended by Xi who arrived for a three-day state visit, which ends today.
Closed-door discussions between Persad-Bissessar and Xi turned out fruitful for both countries, she said. Xi announced that he recently signed an agreement for US$250 million (TT$1.6 billion) for the construction of the children’s hospital in Couva and stadiums. “I am committed to having a comprehensive partnership in Trinidad and Tobago that features respect, equality, mutual benefit and development,” Xi said through a translator.
At the exchanging of gifts between the PM and Xi, a Chinese tea set was broken, while a Chinese flag on a brass pole came crashing down with the pushing and shoving by the Chinese media, some of whom climbed on upholstered chairs in a conference room to capitalise on the photo opportunity. The Chinese media also breached protocol and entered a room upstairs and had to be removed.
Chief executive officer of Government Information Services Andy Johnson also made an error in allowing Xi to address the media first, rather than Persad-Bissessar, the host, for which he apologised. Describing the discussions as an historic day for T&T, Persad-Bissessar said she has considered the establishment of a T&T cultural institute which would be attached to the Diplomatic Mission in Beijing.
The centre, Persad-Bissessar said, will promote creative industries, cultural exchanges, training seminars and cultural exhibitions in China. China has also pledged to provide 100 healthcare professionals to the Caribbean and T&T and will assist in the construction of the Arima Hospital. Among the other major infrastructure projects China has offered assistance for are:
• George Bovell III Aquatic Centre
• A cycling velodrome
• A tennis centre
• Three multi-purpose sporting facilities
• South campus of the University of the West Indies
China and T&T also signed MoUs:
• Economic and technical co-operation agreement for social development projects for 50 million Chinese Yuan
• Letters of exchange for the acquisition of a set of linear accelerator X-ray, scanning and detection scanning systems
• MoU for the establishment of the Confucius Institute for language training at UWI
Some of the key areas Persad-Bissessar and Xi have identified for technical co-operation ventures were: infrastructural development, agriculture and food security, education, sport, information and communication technology, and national security.
In a bid to diversify the economy, Persad-Bissessar said T&T, with the help of China, needs to focus on maritime, energy, food sustainability, creative industries, tourism and financial services.“My Government is actively seeking to penetrate new markets regionally and internationally and we see China as a key business partner and a potential new market for our energy products,” Persad-Bissessar said.
Persad-Bissessar said both countries could also co-host an annual Caribbean Music Festival in Beijing, which could become a signature event for promoting Asian and Caribbean cultural exchanges. Persad-Bissessar also touched on the possibility of developing a competitive shipbuilding and repair industry locally and development in alternative and renewable energy research from China.
“We will continue to facilitate high-level delegations and cultural exchanges as we build on our economic and diplomatic relations. In that context, I wish to let you know that I will be making an official visit to China in November this year, by which time our embassy would be fully operational.”