(November 14, 2018, Kingston, Jamaica)
The Honourable Lascelles Chin,
Minister of National Security, Hon. Horace Chang representing the Most Hon. Prime Minister,
Former Governor General Professor Sir Kenneth Hall & Lady Hall,
Other Ministers of Government: Hon. Audley Shaw, Hon. Karl Samuda & Mrs. Samuda, Hon.Mike Henry & Mrs. Henry,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Bredrin and Sistren,
Wagwan and Good evening!
It's my great pleasure to join so many friends in the happy union this evening. First, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Hon. Lascelles Chin for arranging this union and warm greetings to all our fellow Jamaican and Chinese friends present here.
Not long after I assumed my duty in Jamaica, have I heard the great name of Hon. Lascelles Chin, one of Jamaica's most distinguished and respected entrepreneurs, a legendary pioneer with passion for progress. Hon. Lascelles Chin, you have shared your vision and energy in doing business and charity works. You are one of the top role models for the self-made successes. Your career is the testimony of "Out of many, One people".
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the Reform and Opening-up of China. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the first ever China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai last week, which was a concrete action by China to pursue a new round of high-level opening-up, advance an open world economy and support economic globalization. The Expo attracted 172 countries and regions, three international organizations, more than 3,600 enterprises as exhibitors, and over 400,000 buyers from home and abroad. It achieved, on a yearly basis, an accumulative intended deal value of 57.83 billion US$ signed, 4.72 billion US$ of which came from Belt And Road countries. I was encouraged that the Honourale Ministers Daryl Vaz and Audley Shaw led a delegation to showcase world-class Jamaican brands and present Jamaican trade and investment opportunities to Chinese customers and investors. I am convinced that this will further boost Brand Jamaica well received in China.
China and Jamaica are important partners in production capacity cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative. For your information, by August 2018, 103 countries and international organizations have signed 118 Belt and Road cooperation agreements with China. By June 2018, China has accumulated over 5 trillion US$ in goods trade with Belt and Road countries and provided over 70 billion US$ in foreign direct investment, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of US dollars in local taxes. China will continue to advance the Belt and Road Initiative through international cooperation in the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. We warmly welcome Jamaica to take the opportunity of the Belt and Road cooperation by combining it to the Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan to achieve win-win results.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Over the past years, 16 major Chinese enterprises have invested over 1.9 billion US$ in Jamaica, completed nearly 40 projects and created 10,000 jobs. 30 more underway projects will create thousands more jobs. As you may know, Chinese enterprises are generally doing good business, they are also doing good job in giving back to local communities generously, as they have been better at doing than speaking. It is my sincere wish that there will be new and better forms of partnership like joint venture between Chinese companies and their Jamaican counterparts in the future. It is our common wish that the day will come soon when Jamaica is the place of choice to live, work, raise families, do business and retire in paradise. Let's lift up, hitch our hope to the stars, rise as high as the very stars themselves to make our friendship progress further and bear more fruits.
Thank you!