The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) supported a contingent of representatives from four (4) of the Region’s Business Support Organisations (BSOs) to participate in the 8th China LAC Business Summit that was held in Changsha, China between September 12-13, 2014.
The mission to China led by the Honourable Minister Donville Inniss, Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development for Barbados sought to build relations, discover new potential trading partners and promote the Caribbean for viable investment opportunities. Speaking at the China LAC Summit, Minister Inniss noted that the areas for future cooperation between China and the Caribbean included financial services, logistics, tourism and hotel development, agribusiness and infrastructure development.
The participation of these BSOs that included JAMPRO, InvestSVG, The Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce of Haiti, is an important step towards not only strengthening the capacity of the BSOs to understand the Chinese market but also to enable the BSOs to work with the regions private sector to strategically target and penetrate the Chinese for exports and investments.
The Caribbean delegates also took the opportunity to further discussions with the Tianjin authorities and business groups on investment and prospects for future trading relations. Meetings with the China Ministry of Commerce, and in particular the International Trade Development Bureau, enabled the discussion on the support that could be offered to the Caribbean allowing for increased access of Caribbean products into the Chinese market. In addition talks with the China Development Bank led to enlightenment as to how the Caribbean could access available resources in China earmarked for infrastructure development, as well as commercially viable projects in the Caribbean.
Another key meeting that was held during the mission was with ChinaGoAbroad whose members-only platform provides information and connections for Chinese companies as well as their global counterparts seeking international business partners, investment opportunities and joint ventures in a variety of sectors. Future collaboration with these partners will be led by Caribbean Export as the Agency seeks to strategically position the region for trade and investments from China.
The Summit acts as a promotion mechanism and platform for economic & trade cooperation between China and Latin America & the Caribbean and is managed by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). The event promotes policy dialogue at the government level, but also promotes Chinese investments in Latin America and Caribbean markets.
China as drooling at the mouth as it looks over the Caribbean.
The potential of the nature island has not gone unnoticed. The help they have given and their contributions to a few of the islands including Dominica is a small price to pay for what they expect to gain.
China has a history of human rights violations even against its citizens that must not be forgotten. Its present treatment of both the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches should be looked at.
The ruling Communist Government of China is even now appointing bishops in the Catholic Church in China without the approval of the Vatican in order to control the movements of the church in their country.
Not long ago a delegation of pastors from Canada visited China to attend a church conference. The Communist police raided the venue where the conference was bring being held and arrested a pastor from Canada – a personal friend of mine – who was a speaker at the conference. He was rudely treated before that large congregation including delegates from around the world, and dragged off to a jail cell. This man is a highly esteemed clergyman in Canada known nation wide. He is a diabetic and dependant on medication. This ordeal almost cost him his life. His interest in China was strictly church related. He has no
involvement in politics whatsoever. You can be sure he was well briefed before he left Canada to avoid mentioning anything political.
Currently the whole world is watching the China – Hong Kong fiasco. What is playing out on that stage is the real China: a communist nation with no concern for the principles of democracy or freedom, only a determination to hold onto its (perceived) own and gain still more ground for the dragon.
Meanwhile we have PMs of free nations, and the CEOs of big successful companies that were built on the foundation of democracy and free enterprise, meeting with Chinese communist rulers and business leaders to discuss trade. They are careful not to mention human rights violations taking place outside the boardroom windows as they talk.
I am a Canadian citizen talking about China and the nations of the Caribbean. Before somebody asks me what right I have to be interested in what to me are foreign countries let me offer an explanation. As the president of a world wide gospel ministry I am involved in an international outreach. Besides preaching in foreign nations my literature has gone around the world. One of my books was translated and published in the Russian language. Before the collapse of the iron curtain it was smuggled into Russia to be used as a
textbook in the training of pastors for the underground church.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
Why then are there demonstrations in Hong Kong for democracy and freedom from Chinese rulers
Obviously the people of Hong Kong want to be free from China and its rulers. They have tasted democracy and freedom. Once people know there is an alternative to Communism and the rule of the party they want nothing more to do with it.
The only people who favor Communism are the wigs at the top of the party, not their slaves who work in the sweat shops. Those who have a choice will flee at the first opportunity and they are doing so.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
Sounds fantastic – they plunder our natural resources and give us plastic trinketts, mass-produced tatt, a handful of scholarships and magic beans. In 1792 some other foreigner did that in the region, wiped out an entire race of indigenous peoples and then claimed to have discovered the place.
…not so China, they obviously have we Dominican’s interest at heart
Don’t fool yourselves!
China has your interests at heart the way the Nazis and Communists had the interests of other nations at heart.
They are a totally Godless people. The only people more foolish are the people who trust them.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.