Chinese workers very disciplined, says ambassador
Published:Tuesday | October 10, 2017 | 12:00 AM
While reaffirming China's anti-colonial stance locally, China's ambassador to Jamaica, Niu Qingbao, has stated that the reasons why locally operated Chinese companies do well is because they are more hard-working and disciplined, in addition to having access to more resources.
"I would not want to say they (Chinese workers) are the most disciplined, but they are very disciplined. I'm not making any comparisons," answered Qingbao when asked by journalists to clarify his statement, given earlier during his address to the Rotary Club of St Andrew Weekly Luncheon on Tuesday.
Chinese here to serve
The diplomat argued that Chinese companies were here to serve their customers, which included government agencies and private companies.
"Construction is mainly about infrastructure, and I don't think there's any disagreement in this country that the infrastructure needs to be improved. Without the Chinese companies, improvement of infrastructure could take longer. Like Jamaica, we (China) were also colonised by foreign powers. We hate colonialism, and China wants to be loved instead of hated. We only try to help. The Chinese companies can only accomplish with the endorsement of the Jamaican Government," the diplomat reasoned.
Additionally, the ambassador stated that the just-completed acquisition of the ALPART Alumina Refinery in Nain, St Elizabeth, by China's Jiuquan Iron & Steel Company was an ideal situation for the community, particularly the job-creation aspect.
Qingbao said that the multibillion-dollar investment has brought back life to the once-dormant community.
"Jobs is the number-one priority of the community and the Government. With this investment, some 700 full-time jobs and more than 500 temporary jobs have been created, so the project is a win-win."