31 March 2023, Hope Gardens

Honourable Fayval Williams, Minister of Education and Youth, Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Eastern,

Distinguished Mr. Alfred Thomas, Chairman of the Nature Preservation Foundation,

All other distinguished guests, media friends,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. Wah Gwaan!

I am very glad to attend today’s event and very honoured to witness, together with you, this historical moment, namely the media lunch of the 150th anniversary of the Hope Gardens. First of all, I would like to extend my appreciation to the Nature Preservation Foundation and the management and maintenance team for their hard and excellent work done for the Hope Gardens, which enables us to enjoy such a good place with profound history and nice environment in Kingston.  

Since I started my tenure as the Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica 10 months ago, I have been to the Hope Gardens many times together with my colleagues on weekends to relax ourselves. Every time I felt laid-back, fully stretched and pleasant. I also love watching various animals and plants here. The Hope Gardens is a fine example of urban green, and a good example of biodiversity conservation and harmony between human and the Nature.

Of course, I also love to drop in on the Chinese Garden here at the Hope Gardens. Every time I went there, when seeing the red walls and yellow tiles, the pagoda beside the bridge and waters, and the lotus flowers mirrored in the pond, I always felt like I have come back to China. Many Jamaican friends told me that they also know the Chinese Garden and love to visit it. I am very happy to see that there is some great Chinese touches to the 150-year history of the Hope Gardens. This speaks to the fact that the Hope Gardens is not just a garden for Kingston and for Jamaica, but also a garden for the world. It testifies the exchanges and integration between the East and the West, and bears the symbol and example of China-Jamaica friendly cooperation and traditional friendship.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. This is the common sense for Chinese people as China is advancing Chinese modernization. In 2021, the first part of the COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity was successfully held in Kunming, China. President Xi Jinping announced China’s initiative to establish a Kunming Biodiversity Fund and take the lead by investing 1.5 billion yuan to support biodiversity protection in developing countries. This showed China’s determination and confidence to implement the new development philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, and advance ecological civilization. China is ready to work with Jamaica and other countries, to strengthen global cooperation in green development and share its outcomes, and make active contributions to jointly building a shared future for all life on earth and a clean and beautiful world.

Lastly, I wish a series of events celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Hope Gardens all successful. I also wish the Hope Gardens, with the celebrating events as a new beginning and new chance, become better and better!

Thank you all!