President Bharrat Jagdeo will lead a delegation of government ministers and business leaders to the third China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum, slated for Trinidad and Tobago next week. The event will be held September 12 and 13 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain under the theme: “Development Cooperation, Win for All”. Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon told reporters at his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing that Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, Industry and Commerce Minister Manniram Prashad, and Transport and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn, as well as some 30 private sector representatives, will make up the Guyanese delegation.
“Latin America and the Caribbean has been a focus… for China in its global trade and its development programme, which has seen many firsts in this region,” Dr Luncheon said. The forum is being co-hosted by the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and China, and is aimed at deepening mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation between the Caribbean and China.
It will also serve to strengthen trade and economic ties, as well as enhance technical cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the countries of the Caribbean.
According to a factsheet on the event, “The forum will become another milestone in the China- Caribbean economic and trade history, giving strong impetus to exchanges and cooperation in a number of areas, and generating benefits for both Chinese and Caribbean people.” China will be sending a contingent headed by the Vice Premier of the State Council of China, Wang Qishan, which will include business leaders and members of government.
Participating business leaders will be given the opportunity to meet with public and private sector organisations from China which have expressed an interest in joint ventures with the local private sectors and in financing projects in the region.
The Guyanese representatives will also be given the chance to take part in business-to-business meetings with Chinese business delegates, as well as meet with other government and business representatives from Barbados, The Bahamas, Cuba, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada and Suriname.
“The forum will serve as an excellent platform for senior government officials, business leaders, and representatives from regional organisations of both Caricom and China to discuss and establish blueprints for future cooperation in such fields as finance, infrastructure, tourism and agriculture.”
Highest of economic dialogue
The opening session of the forum will take place on the morning of September 12, to be followed by a ministerial conference.
In the afternoon, there will be a business conference. On the morning of September 13, three separate seminars will be held, and participants will focus their discussions on cooperation in the areas of agriculture and fisheries, tourism, finance and infrastructure. In addition to these events, there will be a photo exhibition on achievements of China- Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation.
Chinese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Yang Youming recently told the media that the forum is the highest level of economic and trade dialogue mechanism between China and Caribbean countries.
In accordance with the theme, Yang expressed the view that the third forum will provide an ideal platform for government officials and entrepreneurs to discuss cooperation and development. It will further promote economic and trade exchanges and cooperation.
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