(30 May 2023)
Dear friends from the press:
Good morning! Welcome to the media briefing hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Jamaica.
I arrived in Jamaica and started to serve as the 16th Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica on May 30th , 2022. Today marks the one year anniversary of my tour of duty here. It gives me great pleasure to meet with you on this special occasion. Media friends who are present today all covered Chinese news in one way or another. You all provide windows and platforms for Jamaicans to learn about China and the development of China-Jamaica relations. I would like to send my sincere appreciation and heartfelt thanks to you, and through you, to all Jamaican media friends for the positive contributions you have made to promoting development of bilateral relations, deepening China-Jamaica practical cooperation, enhancing people-to-people exchanges and consolidating our traditional friendship.
Since my assumption of duty here, I have already exchanged some views and worked with some Jamaican media. I visited the Observer, accepted an interview from the JIS and the PBCJ, wrote several signature articles on the Gleaner, the Observer and Our Today website and introduced some good Chinese TV series to the CVM and PBCJ TV channels. This is also my first media briefing since I came to this country. Going forward, I wish to continue the interactions and enhance communication with Jamaican media by organizing media briefing, press conference, arranging site visits and accepting related interviews. I also wish to have your continued support to me and our Embassy.
Today I would like to focus on some topics, including China-Jamaica relations, China’s economic situation, joint Belt and Road cooperation, Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), Chinese path to modernization and the Taiwan question.
I. China-Jamaica Relations
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Jamaica 51 years ago, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of our two countries, China-Jamaica relations have always maintained a good momentum of development, with the two sides deepening political mutual trust, achieving fruitful results in practical cooperation and increasing friendship between the peoples, which has been bringing tangible results to our countries and our peoples.
China and Jamaica have always been treating each other with sincerity and respect. The political mutual trust is being constantly enhanced.
On November 21st, 1972, China and Jamaica established diplomatic relations and Jamaica became one the first English-speaking Caribbean countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. Since then, despite the changes of international landscape, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of our two countries, China-Jamaica relationship has been developing in a prudent pace. In November 2019, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Andrew Holeness decided to elevate the bilateral relations to strategic partnership, marking that the development of China-Jamaica relationship enters a fast track. China and Jamaica achieved a triple jump in bilateral relations, namely, from the establishment of diplomatic relations, to a friendly relationship seeking common development, and to the strategic partnership, representing a fine example of building a new type of international relations.
A series of activities were held in 2022 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries, including the exchange of congratulatory messages between leaders from the two countries, pointing out the future direction and creating the goal for China-Jamaica relations, co-hosting the symposium on 50th anniversary of bilateral relations, China (Shandong) -Jamaica Investment Promotion Conference and the reception celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations. The concept of friendly cooperation is widely accepted by the two peoples.
China and Jamaica have always been bringing benefits to each other, yielding fruitful results.
Investment: Since 20 years ago when Chinese companies entered Jamaica, they have made a cumulative investment of USD 2.1 billion in infrastructure construction, ICT, agriculture and mining industry, building a lot of landmark projects such as the North-South Highway, Pan-Caribbean Sugar Company, creating 40,000 jobs directly, and more indirectly. They made important contributions to Jamaica’s socioeconomic development. Chinese enterprises here are fully integrated to the local community with 90% of local staff rate, embarking a path of localization. Chinese companies play an active role in sharing management and technological experience with local staff and fulfill their social responsibility. For example, Chinese companies such as China Harbour and Huawei worked together with UWI Mona and HEART to introduce training sessions, internship programs and collaborative labs, cultivating a number of talents in construction and ICT. During the pandemic, Chinese enterprises in Jamaica donated medical equipment such as masks and sanitizers and office supplies such as laptops.
Aid: China always regards Jamaica as a sincere friend and provides aid to Jamaica as well as supports its socioeconomic development within its capability. Through infrastructure assistance, donation of supplies, sending medical teams and conducting human resource training, we would like to improve the livelihood of our Jamaican friends and cultivate talents. The Western Children’s Hospital that is under construction will be the largest children’s hospital in the Caribbean region once completed. It will greatly improve the medical conditions of Western Jamaica and the whole island and become a new symbol of bilateral friendship.
Preferential loans: Besides the free aid, China also support Jamaica’s development through preferential loans. The Montego Bay Convention Center, Trelawny Cricket Stadium, Norman Manley International Airport Road and MIDP, projects built with China’s low-interest loan, promote Jamaica’s urban development. The Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project are also supported by China’s low-interest loan. When the road is completed, it will definitely promote the economic development of Southern Jamaica.
China and Jamaica have always been enhancing mutual understanding and mutual support. Bilateral people-to-people exchanges are constantly deepened.
The China-aid Confucius Institute at the UWI Mona, which was the first Confucius Institute in the English-speaking Caribbean region, has provided an important platform for Jamaican students and public to learn Chinese and know Chinese culture. The China-aid Chinese Garden at Hope Gardens is the only garden built in Chinese construction style in the Caribbean region. It has become a good place for Jamaicans to entertain.
China has provided scholarships for hundreds of Jamaican students to study in China. A total of almost 3000 Jamaicans from various fields have received short term training. This year’s scholarship programs and training sessions are unfolding. I would like to take today’s chance to bring you a good news. The number of students receiving Chinese Ambassador’s scholarship each year will increase from 5 to 8 in all four Jamaican universities having cooperation ties with the Embassy. This will help Jamaica cultivate more talents. China will continue to support Jamaica’s education and human resource development so as to cultivate more talents for Jamaica.
In 2008 Beijing Olympics, more than 90,000 people sang Happy Birthday for Jamaican Legend Usian Bolt. This has become a classic and warm moment in the history of Olympics. From 2018 to 2019, China has already trained more than 270 Jamaicans in seven disciplines including badminton and swimming in China. Next year will witness another 140 people having training opportunities. In 2019, China sent the “Bright Journey” medical team, returned a colorful world to more than 700 Jamaican cataract patients, free of charge. Jamaica also sent the largest delegation in its history to participate in 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and achieved good results. The people-to-people exchanges between our two countries are full of highlights.
This year marks the start of the second 50-year relations between our countries. China will seize the opportunity and work with Jamaica to enhance political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, expand people-to-people exchanges and bring more happiness and sense of gaining for both countries so as to promote China-Jamaica Strategic Partnership to a new level and build a community with a shared future for China and Jamaica in the new era. I also wish friends from the media could take an active part in covering the development of China-Jamaica relations and related activities so as to create a sound atmosphere for the prudent development of China-Jamaica relations.
II. China’s Economic Situation
Since the beginning of this year, China’s economy has been moving towards a positive direction at a prudent pace. China made a rather good start this year when the first quarter witnessed a speedy recovery of major economic indicators. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the GDP of China reached RMB 28.4997 trillion in the first quarter of 2023, with an increase of 4.5% year on year, higher than the market expectation of 4%. Given the good performance of China’s economy, the World Bank, IMF, Fitch Group, Goldman Sachs, UBS Group, JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, OECD, European Commission and other international organizations and enterprises increase the growth expectation for China’s economy in 2023 to the range of 5%-6.5%. It is estimated that China will contribute 1/3 of the world economic growth this year.
From 2013 to 2021, China’s economy ranks among the first several countries with an average growth rate of 6.6%, much higher than the 2.6% of world’s average and 3.7% of the growth rate of developing economies. In the same period, China has contributed 38.6% of world economic growth annually on average, higher than that of G7 countries combined. In 2021, China’s GDP accounts for 18.5% of the world, 7.2 percentage point higher than 10 years ago. China is the world’s second largest economy and the largest trading partner with USD 6.9 trillion of foreign trade, 56.8% higher than a decade ago.
China’s sound economic growth in the long run stay unchanged. China’s gate will remain open. We will continue to uphold the principle of openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. China will be firmly committed to high-level opening up and sharing the development benefits with Jamaica and other countries to make positive contributions to the robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive development.
III.High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation
In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI is a high-quality public good initiated by China, built by the parties involved, and shared by the world. It delivers high-standard, sustainable and livelihood-enhancing outcomes, and is hence widely welcomed. So far more than 3/4 of the countries and 32 international organizations have participated in it.
In the past 10 years, China worked with countries along the route and yielded fruitful results. According to a report by World Bank, the trade of BRI participants increased by 4.1%, with a 5% increase of foreign investment and 3.4% increase for the low-income countries. Thanks to the BRI, from 2012 to 2021, the economic total of emerging countries accounts for 3.6 percentage point higher in the world economy. According to World Bank, BRI would generate a total of USD 1.6 trillion for the world, accounting for 1.3% of global GDP. From 2015 to 2030, due to the BRI, 7.6 million people would be lifted out of absolute poverty and 32 million people would be lifted out of medium poverty. In the past 10 years, the BRI led to investment of nearly one trillion USD, bringing more than 3000 cooperation projects, creating more than 420,000 jobs and lifting nearly 40 million people out of poverty. The China-Europe Railway has already witnessed 65,000 trains. They are a steel caravan connecting Europe and Asia and has become an important stabilizer for global supply chain and industrial chain.
Jamaica was the first Caribbean country to sign the cooperation plan on jointly promoting BRI cooperation. This fully demonstrates the level of importance and support Jamaica attaches to the BRI. In recent years, China and Jamaica has jointly promoted the BRI cooperation and yield good outcomes through various cooperation under the BRI framework. This year, China would take the chance of hosting the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and continue to uphold the principle of “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits”. We would continue to work with Jamaican and other countries and promote BRI to yield more fruitful results.
IV. Three Initiatives (Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative)
First, the Global Development Initiative (GDI)
In September, 2021, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI) during the general debate on the 76th UN General Assembly, calling for faster implementation of 2030 SDG and promoting a more robust, greener and more balanced global development. The GDI draws a blueprint for international development cooperation and points out the future direction for global development cause. In the past year, the GDI has gained support from more than 100 countries and organizations. The Group of Friends of the GDI under the UN platform now has almost 70 members.
The GDI is highly synergetic with the development strategies and goals such as “Jamaica vision 2030”. It meets the most urgent need of developing countries including Jamaica. China hopes an early implementation of the GDI in Jamaica. We wish Jamaica to join the group of friends for GDI and make contributions to a faster implementation of 2030 SDG and achieve common prosperity.
In June, 2022, President Xi Jinping announced that China would step up resource investment to global development cooperation and upgrade the South-South Cooperation Fund to the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and its funding will be added from USD 3 billion to USD 4 billion. China wishes to conduct mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation under the framework of the fund and provides support for Jamaican socioeconomic development to achieve Jamaica’s goal of “Re-igniting a Nation for Greatness”.
Second, the Global Security Initiative (GSI)
In April 2022, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, calling on countries to adapt to the profoundly changing international landscape in the spirit of solidarity, and address the complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset. The GSI aims to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world. This major initiative has been widely commended and warmly received by the international community, among which nearly 100 countries and international organizations have expressed appreciation and support.
In February 2023, China issued the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper to further elaborate on the GSI’s core ideas and principles as well as the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation. As the initiator of the GSI, China has taken real actions to implement it. China has actively engaged in mediation diplomacy and made unremitting efforts for the political settlement of hot-spot issues including the Iranian nuclear issue, the issues on the Korean Peninsula, the Syrian issue and the Palestinian question. We have issued China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis and China’s Position on the Afghan Issue, and stood firm on the side of peace. Not long ago, Saudi Arabia and Iran held talks in Beijing and achieved major outcomes. The two countries announced their decision to resume diplomatic relations, which is a successful practice of the GSI and sets a good example of how countries in the region can resolve disputes and differences and achieve good neighborliness and friendship through dialogue and consultation.
The GSI is an international public good and guardian of tranquility and well-being for people around the world. China stands ready to work with Jamaica and other parties to act on the vision of a community of shared security for mankind, practice true multilateralism, jointly address traditional and non-traditional security challenges and advance the lofty cause of peace and development for humanity.
Third, the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI)
In March 2023, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) at the Communist Party of China(CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. The GCI is another important public good China has shared with the world after the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and is widely supported and actively reacted by the international community. As the future of all countries are closely connected, tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernization process and making the garden of world civilizations flourish. China is ready to work together with Jamaica and other countries to open up a new prospect of enhanced exchanges and understanding among different peoples and better interactions and integration of diversified cultures. Together we can make the garden of world civilizations colorful and vibrant.
From the GDI and the GSI to the GCI, China has always been a force for world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order, and promoter of progress of human civilizations. China remains committed to our mission of seeking progress for humanity and harmony for the entire world. On the journey ahead, Chinese modernization, as a new form of human advancement, will draw upon the merits of other civilizations and make the garden of world civilizations more vibrant. When China and the rest of the world join hands on the path towards modernization in the new era, it will surely make new and greater contribution to promoting peace and development and building a community with a shared future for mankind!
V. Chinese Path to Modernization
Just now I mentioned the Chinese modernization when introducing the Global Civilization Initiative. Realizing modernization has been a relentless pursuit of the Chinese people since modern times, and that it is also a common aspiration of the whole world. Last October, the 20th National Congress of the CPC was successfully convened. The Congress made it clear that the central task of the Communist Party of China(CPC) will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.
Many people would ask what is Chinese path to modernization or Chinese modernization?Why put it Chinese style? Let me give you concise explanations on them. Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the CPC. It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.
Chinese modernization is the modernization of a huge population. China is working to achieve modernization for more than 1.4 billion people, a number larger than the combined population of all developed countries in the world today. This would be an unprecedented miracle in the history of mankind’s development.
Chinese modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all. The immutable goal of the Chinese modernization drive is to meet the people’s aspirations for a better life. China will take effective measures to ensure and improve people’s well-being, maintain and promote social fairness and justice, bring prosperity to all, and prevent polarization.
Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. Material abundance and cultural-ethical enrichment are fundamental goals of socialist modernization. While continuing to consolidate the material foundation for modernization and improve the material conditions for people’s well-being, China will strive to develop advanced socialist culture, and carry forward China’s cultural heritage so as to promote all-around material abundance as well as people’s well-rounded development.
Chinese modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. China is committed to sustainable development and to the principles of prioritizing resource conservation and environmental protection and letting nature restore itself. China will protect nature and the environment as we protect our eyes. China will continue to pursue a model of sound development featuring improved production, higher living standards, and healthy ecosystems to ensure the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. In pursuing modernization, China will not tread the old path of war, colonization, and plunder taken by some countries. That brutal and blood-stained path of enrichment at the expense of others caused great suffering for the people of developing countries. China will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress.
Modernization does not necessarily mean westernization. The Chinese modernization presents another vision for modernization which is different from the western modernization and provides another option that could bring more benefits to the mankind. This also offers another choice for developing countries to realize modernization and contributes Chinese proposal for better seeking human progress.
As a Chinese saying goes, “A just cause should be pursued for the common good.” As the biggest developing country, China always keeps in mind the greater good of the whole world. The Chinese path to modernization is not a one-flower show, still less for self-interest. It is a path toward development of China, through which more positive energy will be added to global peace and new opportunities created for global development. We firmly believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC, with the joint efforts made by all Chinese people, and with the constant advancement of globalization and win-win cooperation among countries, the Chinese modernization will surely be realized, which will create better life for the Chinese people and bring more benefits to Jamaican friends and people around the world.
VI. Taiwan Question
Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence. A large number of historical records and annals document the development of Taiwan by the Chinese people in earlier periods. Starting from the Song and Yuan dynasties, the imperial central governments of China all set up administrative bodies to exercise jurisdiction over Penghu and Taiwan.
In July 1894, Japan launched a war of aggression against China. In April 1895, the defeated Qing government was forced to cede Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to Japan. The Cairo Declaration issued by China, the United States and the United Kingdom in December, 1943 stated that it was the purpose of the three allies that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, such as Northeast China, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be restored to China. The Potsdam Proclamation was signed by China, the United States and the United Kingdom on July 26, 1945, and subsequently recognized by the Soviet Union. It reiterated: “The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out.” In September of the same year, Japan signed the instrument of surrender, in which it promised that it would faithfully fulfill the obligations laid down in the Potsdam Proclamation. On October 25, the Chinese government announced that it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan, and the ceremony to accept Japan’s surrender in Taiwan Province of the China war theater of the Allied powers was held in Taibei (Taipei). From that point forward, China had recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto through a host of documents with international legal effect.
On October 1, 1949, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was founded, becoming the successor to the Republic of China (1912-1949), and the Central People’s Government became the only legitimate government of the whole of China. The new government replaced the previous KMT regime in a situation where China, as a subject under international law, did not change and China’s sovereignty and inherent territory did not change. As a natural result, the government of the PRC should enjoy and exercise China’s full sovereignty, which includes its sovereignty over Taiwan. As a result of the civil war in China in the late 1940s and the interference of external forces, the two sides of the Taiwan Straits have fallen into a state of protracted political confrontation. But the sovereignty and territory of China have never been divided and will never be divided, and Taiwan’s status as part of China’s territory has never changed and will never be allowed to change.
At its 26th session in October 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which undertook “to restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it”. This resolution settled once and for all the political, legal and procedural issues of China’s representation in the UN, and it covered the whole country, including Taiwan. It also spelled out that China has one single seat in the UN, so there is no such thing as “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan”.
There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. These are essentials of the one-China principle, universal consensus of the international community and basic norms of international relations as well as the key for peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair and must be resolved by the Chinese. We firmly oppose interference by any outside forces. Though the mainland and Taiwan have yet to reunify, they belong to one and the same China. Taiwan is part of China’s territory. China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have never been divided. This is the true status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s return to China is an important component of the post-war international order. To uphold the one-China principle is to defend the post-war international order.
It is not the Chinese mainland, but the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and a handful of countries attempting to take advantage of “Taiwan independence”, that are disrupting international rules, unilaterally changing the status quo, and undermining stability across the Strait. China highly appreciates Jamaican Government’s long-standing adherence to the one-China principle and its firm support for China on the Taiwan question. China believes that Jamaica will continue to lend its precious support to China on the Taiwan question.
National reunification is an essential step towards national rejuvenation. The future of Taiwan lies in China’s reunification, and the well-being of the people in Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China is willing to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort, but China will never promise to renounce the use of force, and it reserves the option of taking all measures necessary. This is directed solely at interference by outside forces and the few separatists seeking “Taiwan independence” and their separatist activities; it is by no means targeted at our Taiwan compatriots. Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances. We firmly believe that China’s historic goal of national reunification must be realized and will be realized!
Thank you. Now I would like to take questions from you.