China… A Valued Partner of Jamaica… PM Golding

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, says that China has long been valued friend and important partner of Jamaica and this partnership is especially important to the island at this time, when the country is experiencing the impact of the global economic crisis.
The Prime Minister said that both countries were currently engaged in discussions towards further co-operation and assistance through projects, to be financed under a special loan facility of 4 billion Yen. Discussions he said, are also being held with a number of Chinese entrepreneurs in relation to various major investment projects and a number of Memoranda of Understanding are to be signed shortly.
Yesterday the Governments of Jamaica and China signed seven new agreements and Letters of Exchange covering areas of economic and technical co-operation.
The Prime Minister said that he was heartened by the fact that since Jamaica and China established diplomatic relations more than thirty six years ago, the country has never wavered in its respect and support for the People’s Republic of China. So much so, that “long before we established diplomatic relations in 1972, our relations with China were nurtured by the strength of the Chinese community in Jamaica, which has existed for more than 150 years. They have excelled in many fields and have come to be regarded as a symbol of success”, the Prime Minister said.
Mr. Golding was speaking last night at a dinner hosted at Jamaica House in honour of the Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, XI Jinping, who is on a four-day official visit to Jamaica.
The visit ends tomorrow (Feb 14), when the Chinese Vice President will break ground for the 50,000 square ft. Convention Centre in Montego Bay, St. James, which is being financed by the Government of China. Prime Minister Bruce Golding will head the members of Government officials who will bid farewell to Mr. Xi Jingping at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. The delegation’s next stop will be Colombia.