Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi vows to help Jamaica play bigger role on world stage, hails one-China stand
- Message from Wang comes as he meets Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on last stop of six-nation tour
- Holness asserts Jamaica’s commitment to strong strategic ties with China and welcomes more Chinese investment, readout from Wang’s ministry says
China will support Jamaica to play a bigger role in world affairs, Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pledged, as the two countries aim to strengthen strategic alignment.
“[We] support Jamaica in playing a more important role in regional and international affairs,” a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Wang as saying.
According to the Chinese readout, Holness said Jamaica prioritised its relationship with China, was committed to building a strong strategic partnership and welcomed more Chinese investment.
In a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Holness said Wang’s visit was a “significant milestone” in diplomatic ties, “reflecting the enduring partnership and collaboration between our two great nations”.
“We look forward to further strengthening the bonds that contribute to the prosperity and well-being of our people,” he added.
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While Africa has long been the first port of call for China’s foreign minister in the new year, Brazil and Jamaica were added to the itinerary this year.
This was seen as aiming to boost China’s charm offensive in the backyard of geopolitical rival the United States, as Beijing steps up engagement with the so-called Global South and urges greater say for developing countries in world affairs.
China was committed to the equality of countries regardless of size and the democratisation of international relations, Wang told Holness.
“[China] never interferes in the internal affairs of any country, never engages in geopolitical scrambles and never forces other countries to take sides,” he said.
Wang also praised Jamaica’s adherence to the one-China principle, while Holness said his country would continue to firmly adhere to its “one-China policy”, according to the Chinese statement.
The one-China principle states that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Seven of only 12 countries that still have formal diplomatic relations with Taipei are in the Caribbean and Latin America. They are Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Haiti, Belize, Guatemala and Paraguay.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry on Wednesday thanked the island’s remaining allies after they pledged continued support.
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Wang told Holness that China was willing to offer useful lessons to developing countries on modernisation approaches, and ready to develop closer people-to-people exchanges with Jamaica.
“The two sides could share governance experiences for mutual development,” he said.
Holness said that China’s success story offered lessons on achieving more efficient and equitable development, which Jamaica was keen to learn, the Chinese ministry readout said.
He also sought continued support from Beijing on improving the resilience of small island nations against climate change.
