Chinese Embassy observes 74th anniversary of PRC founding; ambassador pledges continued friendship to Dominica

Chinese Ambassador to Dominica, His Excellency Lin Xianjiang, has reaffirmed China’s unwavering commitment to be Dominica’s steadfast friend, offering support in both good and challenging times. During an event celebrating the 74th anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Ambassador Lin stated, “I can assure you that China will always be the dependent friend of Dominica, whether in good times or in bad times. We will continue to nurture and support Dominica’s economic and social development within our own capacity.”

According to the Ambassador, the China-Dominica relationship is currently at a historic peak, characterized by frequent high-level exchanges, strengthened political mutual trust, and productive cooperation across various sectors. One example he cited is the Chinese Agriculture team, which has been stationed on the island for over 18 years “working tirelessly to introduce China’s seedlings to the island and put affordable fruits and vegetables on the table of local families.”

Additionally, he highlighted the contributions of batches of Chinese doctors who have not only provided medical care to the sick but also offered training to local doctors; the establishment of the Cardiovascular Imaging Center and the Telemedicine Center which he says has made the Friendship Hospital more advanced and competitive in delivering healthcare services to the region; the groundbreaking ceremony for the post-hurricane school project, and the donation of a children’s playground by the Chinese Embassy which he opined has been warmly received by the community.

There are also ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life for Dominican citizens, including the donation of greenhouses, sports equipment, and disaster relief supplies. The Ambassador also alluded to the instrumental role played by organizations such as the Friendship Association, Confucius Classroom, Chinese government scholarships, and various short-term training programs in facilitating personnel and cultural exchanges between the two nations.

While he did not provide detailed information about these initiatives, Ambassador Lin announced that a Chinese Ambassador Scholarship will be presented to 22 outstanding students currently studying at the Dominica State College (DSC) and will continue to be awarded annually thereafter.

He emphasized that on October 1, China will celebrate its 74th anniversary since Chairman Mao Zedong solemnly declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). According to him, in the past 74 years, China has grown and become a formidable nation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

His Excellency noted that Chinese modernization has become a popular phrase and achieving modernization for a country with a population of more than 1.4 billion will be an unprecedented feat in human history.

“China’s modernization is not pursued through war, colonization or exploitation,” he declared, “Rather, it is one of independence, putting people first, peaceful development, openness and inclusiveness, shattering the myths, that modernization is Westernization, while providing an important source of inspiration for the world, especially developing countries.”

He further noted that the world is currently grappling with challenges such as sluggish economic recovery, widening development disparities, geopolitical conflicts, and climate change. In this context, China has not only met its economic development and social stability goals but has also provided greater certainty and momentum to the world.

Ambassador Lin expressed his viewpoint that in recent years, certain Western media outlets have persistently published articles casting doubt on China’s economy and making baseless claims of an impending collapse. However, their predictions have repeatedly proven incorrect.

“The reality is China’s GDP grew by 5.5% year on year in the first half of 2023. The World Bank, OECD and IMF forecasts of China’s growth in 2023 are all above 5%, representing a one-third contribution to the world economy, and in the first eight months this year, China’s major economic indicators, including output growth of industries, retail sales of consumer goods, fixed asset investment, and retail sales of services are showing solid rebound, pointing to the resilience and potential of China’s economy,” he said.

He also highlighted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and over the past decade, this initiative has generated nearly a trillion US dollars in external investments, established over 3,000 cooperation projects, created approximately 420,000 jobs in countries along its routes, and helped lift nearly 14 million people out of poverty.

Ambassador Lin expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Skerrit for his “invaluable support to the embassy and myself.”

He also extended gratitude to outgoing president Charles Savarin for what he described as a commitment and dedication to bring the two countries and people closer together and congratulated incoming president Slyvanie Burton.

As Dominica and China gear up to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year, he emphasized that, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the collaborative endeavours of both governments and their respective populations will continue to grow and prosper “as we open a new historic chapter in our relations.”