The Grenada-China relationship has grown significantly in various fields over the past 20 years, said Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, who will pay an official visit to China on Jan. 11-17.
by Xinhua writers Zhao Kai, Li Xin and Wang Linyuan
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Grenada-China relationship has grown significantly in various fields over the past 20 years, Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has said, voicing hope for further growth of their ties in the next 20 years and beyond.
Mitchell will pay an official visit to China on Jan. 11-17.
"In my view, there is only one China, and that speaks for itself," Mitchell said in a recent interview with Xinhua in St. George's, the capital of Grenada, reaffirming Grenada's firm stance on the one-China principle since the resumption of bilateral ties.
The steady progress in bilateral relations, he said, have benefited both countries at the diplomatic, political, economic, trade, investment, cultural, educational and people-to-people levels.
Grenada, an island nation located at the southern tip of the Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean Sea, covers an area of 344 square km and has a population of about 110,000. In 2018, Grenada and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
"The Belt and Road Initiative undoubtedly has played a critical part in enhancing the development of Grenada as well as deepening the cooperation between Grenada and China," Mitchell said.
The prime minister commended Chinese enterprises for their contributions to Grenada's infrastructure, citing key projects such as the Maurice Bishop International Airport Upgrade and Runway Paving Project, the Grenada Low-Income Housing Project, and the China-Aided Renovation Project of the Grenada National Cricket Stadium.
Stressing the importance of educational exchanges, he noted that many Grenadian students have studied in China under Chinese government scholarships. These students have not only learned the Chinese language but also gained valuable insight into the Asian country's rich culture and profound progress over the past decades.
The prime minister also applauded the global initiatives proposed by China, such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.
Each of these initiatives "demonstrates the fact that significant time and effort is put into addressing and looking at possible solutions and answers to the challenges that we all face at what are clearly difficult times," he said.
China's achievements in areas like maintaining sovereignty and eradicating poverty, which were built on decades of experience, serve as valuable lessons for Latin American and Caribbean countries, he said.
He underscored China's leadership in supporting the Global South, as well as offering ideas, recommendations and solutions for the challenges faced by smaller nations.
"Many times as small islands we don't always get the respect from large islands because they see us as small or insignificant," Mitchell said. However, in Grenada-China relations, "we are treated with the same courtesies, the same level of respect and that we are listened to in the same manner as any larger country."
Grenada is committed to working closely with China on multilateral platforms, guided by the principles of peaceful coexistence, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual respect for diversity, he said.
Looking ahead, Mitchell said he hopes that the mutual visa exemption agreement will encourage more Chinese tourists and investors to visit Grenada, and enable more Grenadians to travel to China to deepen their understanding of the country.
He also identified significant opportunities for future collaboration, particularly in areas such as marine research and development, biodiversity conservation, digitalization, and disaster prevention, mitigation and management. ■