Holness seeks to tap latest innovations during China visit
Published:Wednesday | November 6, 2019 | 12:26 AM
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has said that his current trip to China is part of the Government’s efforts to get Jamaica on board with the latest global innovations in technology and other areas.
Holness and his delegation left the island last Friday for his first working visit to the Asian country ahead of the second China International Import Exposition in Shanghai.
The prime minister used the opportunity to engage Chinese President Xi Jinping in bilateral talks yesterday and also met with Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong.
Holness pointed out that Jamaica and China have had a “long and fruitful relationship” dating back to 1854, when the first set of Chinese émigrés arrived in Jamaica, and it is his wish to see the partnership grow.
“It is essential that we take advantage of opportunities presented through international trade and international cooperation, as well as innovation to promote the attainment of our development aspirations,” he said.
“So convinced are we about the critical role of innovation that we will be hosting the very first United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Global Conference on Innovation and Resilience in May 2020. We are excited to explore, with your country, the endless possibilities which we believe can result from the pairing of Jamaican aspirations for resilience with the experience of China in innovation,” Holness told a Chinese audience.
The prime minister said Jamaica has been “experiencing unprecedented stability over the last five years”, marked by a decline of almost 30 per cent in national debt-to-GDP ratio to the current level of 96 per cent.
He said this reflects “the country’s readiness as a great place to do business”.
Holness will wrap up his visit on Saturday.