* China And Caribbean Pledge Closer Economic And Political Cooperation
The Chinese media has reported that the second consultation meeting between the foreign ministers of China and nine Caribbean states was held in St John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda earlier this week.
Wednesday’s meeting was said to feature discussions between the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong and diplomatic representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
As a result of the meetings, all parties agreed to facilitate further enhancement of economic, political and cultural ties between China and the Caribbean, whilst observing the progress that has been made on these fronts since the last meeting in September 2002.
It also emerged this week that the Chinese Vice Foreign Minster and Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda inked an economic and technological cooperation pact.
It was agreed by all parties that a subsequent Sino-Caribbean summit will be staged in Beijing in 2006.
