China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has outlined China’s plans for development and its foreign policy as it looks to continue opening up in 2025.
Speaking at a media conference in Beijing on Friday following the country’s Two Sessions, a central event focusing on the country’s plans for economic and other policies moving forward, Minister Wang said China has continued to meet global challenges and deal with global issues.
Here are several key takeaways relevant to the Caribbean and CARICOM countries:
1. Visa-free travel to China for Caricom members?
Minister Wang said increased visits to, and coverage of, China have revealed more about the daily lives of Chinese people, as well as the country’s initiatives, to the world.
In fact, Minister Wang said China’s concepts and initiatives are “increasingly welcomed and supported by the national community”.
He mentioned that more countries may be added to China’s visa-free travel list.
“We will create more convenient channels for two-way travel. So far, China has granted unilateral visa-free entry to 38 countries and expanded the transit visa-free period to 240 hours for 54 countries.
“More countries may join our visa-free circle of friends, sustaining the popularity of China travel around the world.”
He added that the country would continue unilaterally opening to least developed countries as well as lowering the threshold of market access, keeping China as the “go-to partner for international cooperation”.
2. Eyes on China-Russia relations, Ukraine war
The fallout from the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2024 negatively affected logistics and shipping capabilities for the Caribbean, a region largely dependant on imports for its survival. The resulting increase in food and other imports continues to affect the Caribbean.
When asked regarding China’s ties with Russia, Minister Wang said the two countries continue to maintain strong bilateral relations.
Minister Wang said the two countries have found a path of “non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party” in developing their relations.
In response to a separate question on the Ukraine conflict, Minister Wang said China continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution.
“China’s stance has always been objective and impartial, our voice has always been calm and balanced…no one wins in a conflict, but everyone gains in peace. The negotiation table is where the conflict ends and peace starts,” Wang said.
He added that the Ukraine crisis could have been avoided, and that all parties should learn from the incident.
3. More free trade policies
Minister Wang said China will continue to support its policies of opening up in future.
“We will be a constructive force for common development of the world. We will continue to [support] high-standard opening up and share the vast opportunities of Chinese modernisation with all countries.
“We will safeguard the multilateral free-trade system, foster an open, inclusive and non-discriminatory environment for international cooperation and advance universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation.”
China has several free trade agreements with several Latin American countries, including Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile and Peru.
Several Caricom countries have Bilateral Investment agreements (BITs) with China, including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Jamaica.
4. The rise of the global south and BRICS
Minister Wang said the growing strength of the global south cannot be denied and remains a key force for maintaining world peace.
“Historic changes are taking place in the East-West-South dynamics. The global south holds the key to bringing stability to the world and making it a better place.
He noted that nine partner countries have joined BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) making it an “engine of growth in the global south”.
He said the organisation should be made bigger and stronger to give more development to the global south.
“China is naturally a member of the global south because we have fought colonialism…and we are committed to the common goal of development. Our heart will always be with the global south.
“China will work with all global south countries to add a new chapter to the annals of the history of the world.”
5. China’s support of Latin American, Caribbean countries
Minister Wang said China continues to support Latin and Caribbean (LAC) countries as part of its commitment to South-South cooperation.
He said China continues to support LAC countries via the China-CELAC Forum, creating fruitful outcomes in building the China-LAC community with a shared future and benefits for all people.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the formal launch of the China-CELAC Forum – China will host the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Forum in the first half of this year.
Minister Wang said this forum will provide an opportunity to take China-LAC cooperation to a higher level.
6. All roads lead to Africa
Minister Wang said China-Africa relations continue to strengthen, most recently with the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing in 2024.
“Africa is going through a new awakening…there will be no global modernisation without African modernisation.”
He said this year the D20 summit will be held on the African continent for the first time.
Caricom has also implemented measures for strengthening pan-African ties, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University of the West Indies and South Africa’s North-West University.
In 2024, Trinidad and Tobago signed a Bilateral Investment Agreement with Ghana, a gateway to West Africa. Ghana is currently one of Trinidad and Tobago’s top 10 trading partners on the African continent, offering a wealth of opportunities for expanded collaboration.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Trade Ministry also conducted a trade mission to Ghana in 2024.
The Caribbean Pan African Network is also working to expand cooperation between Pan Africanist formations in the Caribbean and to work with other regional Pan African Networks to engage in a formal institutional relationship with the African Union, in pursuit of the goal of empowering, developing and integrating the African peoples of the continent and the diaspora.
7. Women’s voices to be heard at Beijing conference
Caribbean woman will be able to join other women around the world in attending the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, which will be hosted in Beijing in the second half of this year.
Minister Wang referenced the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Bejing in 1995 in which the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted, creating a milestone in the global pursuit of gender equality.
On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, and as a follow-up to President Xi Jinping’s proposal, China will host the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the latter half of this year.
He said China has made several achievements in advancing the cause of women’s development at home and on the global stage over the past 30 years after the historic conference.
“Over the past three decades, China has led the advancement of the global cause of women’s development through concrete actions. We have supported the work of the UN Women (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women), partnered with UNESCO in setting up the Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education, helped fellow developing countries in implementing 100 maternal and child health projects, and trained over 200,000 female professionals for more than 180 countries and regions.”
Wang expressed his sincere hope that more women will shine when the world gathers in Beijing again to discuss major issues concerning women’s development worldwide.
British Caribbean News