On 4 July 2022, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, met with Director General of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Cai Wei, in the margins of the 43rd Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), held July 3 to 5, in Paramaribo, Suriname.
Mr. Wei, congratulated the Government of Barbados on its transitioning to republican status. He provided an update on the status of China’s economy and the COVID-19 situation.
In turn, Senior Minister Walcott expressed appreciation for the assistance Beijing offered with the provision of personal protective equipment during the height of the global pandemic.
The two officials also discussed the ongoing partnerships between the two countries. These include inter alia, the Scotland District Rehabilitation Project and the Hope Agricultural Training Institute and The University of the West Indies Centre for Food Security and Entrepreneurship Project.
On the international front, Mr. Wei noted that the leaders of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa (BRICS) met June 23 to 24, 2022 for the 14th BRICS Summit and a major concern was safeguarding food security of BRICS countries and the world.
At the regional level, Mr. Wei informed that the CARICOM Ambassadors accredited to Beijing are expected to visit the newly constructed China-Caribbean Development Centre in Chengdu.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on May 30, 1977, Barbados and the People’s Republic of China have built a relationship based on respect and cooperation in an effort to advance mutual understanding between their peoples.
