Xi, foreign leaders meet in Shanghai

Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness

While meeting with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, President Xi Jinping said the two nations should take the opportunity of jointly building the Belt and Road to speed up high-quality cooperation.

Xi welcomed Holness to attend the expo held in Shanghai. Beijing supports Chinese companies to invest in Jamaica, Xi said, adding that the Chinese market welcomes more high-quality Jamaican products.

Noting that both China and Jamaica are developing countries that are at critical periods in their development, Xi said there is great potential for bilateral cooperation.

Xi said that the two countries should maintain high-level exchanges, enhance communication on the experience of governance, strengthen joint development strategies and boost people-to-people exchanges.

China would like to make joint efforts with Jamaica to develop relations with Caribbean nations, Xi said, adding that the two sides should jointly enhance multilateral cooperation, maintain the multilateral trading system and safeguard the interests of developing countries.

During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to promote their relationship to a strategic partnership.

Holness said it is a great honor to attend the expo during the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

China has made remarkable achievements in the past decades, he said, adding that hundreds of millions of Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty.

China's progress has promoted global governance and brought benefits for people across the world, including Jamaicans, he said.

Saying the expo proposed by Xi is a visionary initiative, he added that the openness of the Chinese market will greatly promote sustainable development around the world.

The Jamaican prime minister expressed a willingness to learn more about China's experience, jointly build the Belt and Road and enhance cooperation in such areas as infrastructure, logistics, tourism, culture and sports.

Jamaica firmly supports multilateralism, he said, and it would like to make positive contributions to promoting relations between Caribbean countries and China.