On June 2 local time, President Xi Jinping met respectively with President Desi Bouterse of Suriname and Prime Minister Freundel Stuart of Barbados in Port of Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

When meeting with Bouterse, Xi Jinping said that Suriname is the country with the largest Chinese population in the Caribbean Region, and the Chinese culture has become important part of the multiculturalism in Suriname. As this year marks the 160th anniversary of the arrival of Chinese in Suriname, the two sides need a big celebration to carry on the traditional friendship. The two sides should enhance exchanges between the governments, legislative bodies and political parties, expand cooperation in the fields of infrastructure construction, forestry, mining, oil, water conservancy and raising people's livelihood. As Suriname will take the rotating presidency of the Union of South American Nations, China is willing to join hands with Suriname to promote the overall cooperation between China and Latin America.

Bouterse said that Suriname remains committed to strengthening friendly relations with China, and hopes to get continuous support from China in the fields of economic development and personnel training. Suriname is willing to give play to its geographical advantages and to serve as a link for Latin America-China cooperation.

When meeting with Stuart, Xi Jinping stressed that China and Barbados need to create some bright spots in bilateral cooperation. Both sides will strengthen agricultural cooperation to guarantee food security in the two countries. Barbados is carrying out a renewable energy revolution and China boasts rich experiences and mature technologies in solar, wind and biogas power generation. The two sides can start cooperation for what Barbados requires. The two sides should promote people-to-people exchanges and tourism cooperation to enhance mutual understanding. China will continue to provide support within its abilities for small island countries including Barbados to cope with climate change within the framework of South-South cooperation.

Stuart said that Barbados-China relationship enjoys a solid foundation. Barbados hopes that the two countries will achieve more in their mutually beneficial cooperation. Barbados attaches great importance to the issue of climate change and is willing to cooperate with China in the fields of clean energy and renewable energy to achieve sustainable development. Barbados welcomes Chinese tourists and hopes to start Chinese language teaching in the country.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu and Yang Jiechi were present at the meeting.