Bilateral relations between China & Jamaica to be further strengthened

Relations between China and Jamaica will be further bolstered with several initiatives to be introduced this year, all geared towards taking this friendship to another level.

This announcement was made by China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Chen Daojiang, during a recent press briefing held at the Chinese Embassy in St. Andrew.

The Chinese diplomat revealed that there are plans to train some 42 Jamaicans in China in various education specialties this year through scholarships.

This year, the embassy also plans to recognise several local community entities that foster a friendly relationship with China under the banner ‘Family of China-Jamaica Friendship’.

Additionally, individuals who have significantly contributed to the friendship between the two nations will be honoured with China-Jamaica Friendship Awards.

Further, in a move to streamline international exchanges, China has introduced several visa policy adjustments, where qualified visa applicants can now bypass fingerprint submissions and enjoy a 25 percent reduction in visa fees, among others.

China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Chen Daojiang. (Photo via Our Today)

In the area of sport, Ambassador Chen also highlighted the resumption of the sports coaching cooperation programme, disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 138 Jamaican athletes are set to receive 60-day intensive training in China in various sports, including swimming, gymnastics, badminton, and women’s volleyball and basketball.

And as part of observances to mark the 170th anniversary of the arrival of the first Chinese in Jamaica, a grand celebration is planned from July to October, celebrating the long-standing cultural connections between the two communities.

Trade will be an additional area of cooperation between China and Jamaica. With US$1.28 billion in commerce in 2023, China ranked as Jamaica's second-biggest commercial partner.

With an optimistic outlook, Ambassador Chen listed trade and investment, new energy, agriculture and fisheries, the digital economy, and the blue economy as possible areas for further collaboration.

In the upcoming years, there will be plenty of opportunity for mutual growth and development in these sectors.