TT, China celebrate 45 years of diplomatic ties

China and TT affirmed their strong relationship on Monday evening at a reception at the Hyatt Regency Port of Spain, celebrating 45 years of diplomatic ties. China first established an embassy in TT on June 20, 1974. Forty years later, in February 2014, TT opened its first embassy in Beijing.

“As the two economies are highly complementary, our trade ties and cooperation have kept growing. Last year, our annual bilateral trade volume hit US$732 million. Chinese investments and enterprises have gained significant presence here and contributed to the boom of the local business and the well-being of the people,” Chinese Ambassador Song Yumin said in his address.

The first Chinese immigrants to TT arrived in 1806, and since then, the Chinese community in TT have had a significant impact on the culture of the country, from business to dance, food and politics. TT had voted for the reintroduction of China into the United Nations in 1971, and in 2017, was the first Caribbean country to sign on to the country’s US$4 trillion new silk road project, the Belt and Road Initiative. Since then, China has pledged to help TT build a technology park in Phoenix Park and a massive dry docking facility in La Brea. China has also provided concessional loans to TT to build projects like the National Academy for the Performing Arts – both the north and south campuses – and the Couva Hospital. TT owes China approximately $6 billion for these loans.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses brought remarks on behalf of the TT Government. He noted China has been instrumental in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of TT, lately in security, air services, tourism, health and culture. “I can attest (the Belt and Road Initiative) serves as a stimulus for inclusivity and continued development,” Moses said. In addition to the tech park and dry dock, he noted China is assisting TT with a new forensic system, 300 new buses for the public transport sector, and a Chinese medical team will arrive this month, following their first visit last September.