Caribbean media, LatAm leaders hail Chinese president's visit

Caribbean media and Latin American leaders hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Trinidad and Tobago as promoting the common development of the region and the Asian country. Mainstream print media in Trinidad and Tobago highlighted Xi's visit on their front pages during the visit, saying the tour would strengthen the bilateral friendship and cooperation in various fields. The Chinese president arrived in the Caribbean country Friday evening and concluded his state visit Sunday, the first by a Chinese head of state since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1974. The Guardian newspaper of Trinidad and Tobago noted in a commentary during the visit that Xi's choice of Trinidad and Tobago as the first leg of his Latin American tour reflected the great importance China attached to the country and the Caribbean. It would help boost exchanges and cooperation between China and the region, the newspaper said. According to Daily Express, another newspaper of the country, Trinidad and Tobago's President Anthony Carmona said that China and the Caribbean country had unique development advantages, and huge potential and bright prospects in cooperation. While in Trinidad and Tobago's capital, Port of Spain, Xi also met the leaders of eight other Caribbean countries and exchanged views on strengthening bilateral cooperation and deepening relations between China and the region. After talks with Xi, Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie said these meetings were of great significance, and that China was an important partner of Caribbean nations in the areas of infrastructure and social development. The Caribbean countries hoped to cooperate with China in more fields, including tourism, Christie added. Roosevelt Skerrit, prime minister of Dominica, said the meetings between Xi and the Caribbean leaders showed China had always valued ties with the Caribbean, which would benefit the development of the region. Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell said he hoped to expand cooperation with China in education, technology, agriculture, and tourism. Xi is currently in Costa Rica for a state visit to the Latin American country, following which he will travel to Mexico and then fly to the U.S. state of California for a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama. The Chinese president's visit has also drawn attention of other Latin American countries. Carlos Tavares, a Brazilian expert on Chinese affairs and global trade, said Xi's visit to Trinidad and Tobago and his talks with leaders of other Caribbean nations showed the new generation of the Chinese leadership was ready to deepen relations with the region. Tavares recalled a speech Xi gave at the fifth leaders' summit of BRICS countries in March in Durban, South Africa, in which he said cultural diversity should be respected. Xi said all countries were equal in the international community regardless of their size, wealth and strength, Tavares noted, adding China had proved it does what it says. Severino Cabral, director of Brazil Institute of China and Asia Pacific Studies, said Xi's meetings with leaders of the Caribbean took place when the Asian country and the region had achieved fruitful results in bilateral cooperation and both sides wanted to consolidate ties. Clarin, one of Argentine leading newspapers, reported that China and the Caribbean countries had conducted various kinds of effective cooperation, and the region had witnessed more benefits from economic and trade cooperation with China.