On arriving in China, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell was greeted warmly and given a guard of honour. A GIS announcement said that the visit marks 20 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations, a partnership based on mutual respect and cooperation.
Over the past 20 years, Grenada-China relations have grown in different spheres, according to Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, who hopes for more growth in the next 20 years and beyond.
“In my view, there is only one China, and that speaks for itself,” Mitchell told Xinhua in St. George’s, Grenada’s capital, confirming Grenada’s one-China stance since diplomatic ties resumed.
He said consistent improvement in bilateral relations has helped both countries diplomatically, politically, economically, trade, investment, culturally, educationally, and people-to-people.
“The Belt and Road Initiative undoubtedly has played a critical part in enhancing the development of Grenada as well as deepening the cooperation between Grenada and China,” he said.
The prime minister praised Chinese companies for their work on the Maurice Bishop International Airport Upgrade and Runway Paving Project, Grenada Low-Income Housing Project, and Grenada National Cricket Stadium Renovation Project.
He stressed the importance of educational exchanges, noting that many Grenadians studied in China on Chinese government scholarships. These students learnt Chinese and received insight into the Asian country’s rich culture and decades-long progress.
The prime minister also praised China’s Global Development, Security, and Civilisation Initiatives.
Each of them “demonstrates the fact that significant time and effort is put into addressing and looking at possible solutions and answers to the challenges that we all face at what are clearly difficult times,” said he.
He said Latin American and Caribbean nations may learn from China’s decades-long successes in sovereignty and poverty elimination.
Chinese leadership in aiding the Global South and contributing ideas, proposals, and solutions for smaller nations’ difficulties were highlighted.
“Many times as small islands we don’t always get the respect from large islands because they see us as small or insignificant,” he remarked. “We are treated with the same courtesies, the same level of respect and that we are listened to in the same manner as any larger country.”
He said Grenada will engage with China on multilateral platforms based on peaceful coexistence, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual tolerance for variety.
Mitchell expects the mutual visa exemption agreement will attract more Chinese tourists and investors to Grenada and allow more Grenadians to visit China to learn more.
He also saw promising collaborative potential in maritime research and development, biodiversity conservation, digitalisation, and disaster prevention, mitigation, and management.
