October 1^st, 2006 marks the 57^th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. On this auspicious occasion, I would like to extend my warmest blessings for my motherland's greater advancement and prosperity, and my best wishes to the Government and people of Jamaica. I also take this opportunity to congratulate my fellow compatriots in Jamaica on this happy event.

 

The National Day affords us the opportunity to take stock of what has been achieved since the People’s Republic was proclaimed in 1949, and particularly since the implementation of reform and opening-up policy in 1978. We can be justifiably proud of the remarkable achievements we have obtained in every field. China's economy has grown steadily, its national strength has been enhanced considerably, and Chinese people's livelihood has improved significantly.

 

From 1978 to 2005, China's GDP increased over 10 folds from US$ 216.5 billion to US$ 2.23 trillion with an average growth rate of 9.6% per annum and currently ranks the No. 4 in the world; per capita GDP grew nearly 7 folds from US$ 226 to over US$ 1,700; total import and export volume increased 67 folds from US$ 20.6 billion to US$ 1.42 trillion, making China the 3rd largest trading country in the world; foreign reserves rose from US$ 167 million to US$ 818.9 billion; number of people living under the poverty line in the countryside dropped from 250 million to 23.65 million. On the whole, the Chinese people have reached a well-off standard of living.

 

With the start of China’s 11^th five-year plan (2006 - 2010) for economic and social development this year, China’s economic and social outlook in the years ahead holds out bright prospects. Following the requirements of a scientific outlook on development, we will put people first and take development as the primary task in running the country and government. We will promote coordinated development in urban and rural areas and among different regions, facilitate balanced economic and social development and harmonious development of man and nature, and coordinate domestic development and opening-up so as to achieve all-round, coordinated and sustainable development.

 

The celebration of the National Day also comes amidst continuously growing Sino-Jamaican relations. Over the past twelve months, our bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum of all-round development, highlighted by enhanced political mutual trust, fruitful trade and economic cooperation, flourishing cultural and sports exchanges and close cooperation on international affairs.

 

In the political area, the strategic goal of “Friendly Partnership for Common Development”, as agreed upon by both sides during the visit to Jamaica by Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong in February last year, has been steadily promoted. At the recent Beijing Consultations between the Foreign Ministry of China and the ministries of foreign affairs of the Caribbean countries having diplomatic relations with China, including Jamaica, the two sides agreed to strengthen political dialogue and consultations and cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral areas. The newly established Jamaican Embassy in Beijing and my Embassy in Kingston have been complementing each other as a “working pair” on behalf of our respective countries, in our concerted efforts to deepen the Sino-Jamaican relations.

 

Our economic and trade cooperation also enjoyed rapid and steady advancement. China has become Jamaica’s 4^th largest trading partner and Jamaica continues to be China's largest trading partner in the English-speaking Caribbean region. According to Chinese statistics, trade volume between our two countries reached US $325.07 million in 2005. In the first seven months this year, the trade volume hit US$ 299.59 million, a 36.1% increase over the same period last year.

 

Furthermore, cooperative projects between the two sides have progressed smoothly, highlighted by the Greenfield Cricket Stadium in Trelawny and the Sligovile Sports Complex in St. Catherine. It is hoped that our two sides will soon be able to sign off on such major projects as the Montego Bay Convention Center, the rehabilitation of the Jamaican railway system and the construction of the Jamaican telemedicine network.

 

Compared with the widely known bilateral trade relations and cooperative projects, what may not be so obvious are the ever-growing social and cultural interactions between the two countries and peoples. There has been a great surge in Jamaica of enthusiasm for learning Chinese language or experiencing the rich intricacies of Chinese culture and traditions including Chinese cooking. On the other hand, a variety of activities with a view to promoting Jamaican culture and tourism have been held recently in Beijing. The world-famous Jamaican photographer Mr. Ray Chen will have his photo exhibition in Beijing in coming November at the invitation of the Chinese Ministry of Culture. Some new areas of cooperation between China and Jamaica have been explored recently with more exchange programs carried out in the fields of media, culture, education, sports, justice and military.

 

These developments point out the potential for Sino-Jamaican relations to be propelled to an even higher level and broader scope. We are convinced that, with the joint efforts of our two governments and two peoples, this upswing in our relations will continue to acquire further strength in the days to come.

 

Finally, I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to the Gleaner and its readers for making this year’s celebration even more meaningful.