On November 7th, Ambassador Tian Qi contributed a signature article titled The 4th CIIE Kicks Off: Greater Opportunity for China-Jamaica Cooperation to Jamaica Observer. The full text is as follows:

Acting as a major platform for international procurement, investment promotion, cultural exchanges and open cooperation, the China International Import Expo (CIIE) has been held for four consecutive years and is widely acknowledged by the international community as an international public good for economic globalization and multilateral trading system, as well as a pivotal carrier for building an open world economy and a community with a shared future for mankind. The 4th CIIE is being held both online and offline on 5-10 November 2021 in Shanghai, attracting nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions.

H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China,  delivered a keynote speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 4th CIIE on 4 November. He announced that China’s opening-up pledges made at the 3rd CIIE have mostly been implemented. As the only major economy to register positive growth of trade in goods last year, China has overcome the impact of COVID-19 and made important contributions to keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and promoting world economic recovery, while providing humanitarian assistance for global fight against COVID-19. China has fully fulfilled its World Trade Organization (WTO) entry commitments and kept opening wider to the world, generating a new wave of domestic development and progress while injecting fresh impetus into the world economy.

President Xi Jinping also emphasized that China’s resolve to open wider at a high standard, share development opportunities with the rest of the world, make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all will not change. China will continue to firmly safeguard true multilateralism, share market opportunities with the world, promote high-standard opening up and uphold the global common interests.

As strategic partners, China and Jamaica have always been maintaining healthy bilateral relations and yielding fruitful results in economic and trade cooperation. Jamaica is the first Caribbean country to sign the cooperation plan with China on jointly promoting the Belt and Road cooperation. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Jamaica have been working closely to tide over difficulties, combat the disease and promote economic recovery side by side, forging even closer and more friendly bilateral relations. The trade volume between China and Jamaica has been further expanded for the first three quarters this year, reaching US$582.4 million, with an increase of 23.7% year-on-year. China’s cumulative investment in Jamaica for the past 20 years has exceeded US$2.1 billion, creating over 10,000 direct jobs and even more indirect jobs for Jamaica. China continues providing scholarships for Jamaicans to study in China and short-term training opportunities for relevant Jamaican personnel in various fields to cultivate Jamaican talents, bringing benefits to the Jamaica’s development.

CIIE demonstrates China's commitment to opening up and promoting global development. Looking into the future, China will continue working together with Jamaica to achieve high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enhance synergy among each other’s development strategies, and further explore collaboration in key areas such as green economy, e-commerce, sustainable fisheries, manufacturing and tourism to realize a diversified, independent, balanced and sustainable development. Jamaica’s lobster, rum and Blue Mountain Coffee have attracted a lot of attention at CIIE. We warmly welcome Jamaican businesses to export more products to China, expand trade and economic cooperation and enjoy the benefits of China’s vast market. We also welcome more high-quality Jamaican products and services such as seafood, pork, tourism and music to be exported to China, so as to promote recovery and development of both economies and bring more benefits to both peoples.

China will continue providing more scholarships and training opportunities for Jamaican people in the fields of ICT, construction engineering technology, bauxite mining and processing technology, and expressway operation, management and maintenance technology in the future in order to support the implementation of the Vision 2030 Jamaica. China is also willing to further provide medical supplies and technical assistance to Jamaica within its capability. I firmly believe that together we will eventually win the battle against the pandemic.

As mentioned by President Xi Jinping, China stands ready to work with Jamaica and other countries to build an open world economy so that the spring breeze of openness will bring warmth to all parts of the world. We stay committed to cooperating with Jamaica at a higher level and reaping fruitful results for win-win cooperation.