We, the Foreign Ministers and government representatives from the People's Republic of China, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Barbados, the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Jamaica, the Republic of Suriname, and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago gathered on 28-29 October 2019 in St. George's, Grenada, for the China-Caribbean Conference for Cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, and state as follows:
1.We welcome the significant opportunities and positive contributions of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road" ("the Belt and Road Initiative") to world economic growth. We acknowledge that as an important international initiative, "the Belt and Road Initiative" can contribute to further peaceful development with such mutually beneficial win-win cooperation being an important mechanism to deepens cooperation between China and the Caribbean countries in various fields, and provide important opportunities for the development of Caribbean countries.
2.We agree that Caribbean countries are a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and, indeed, important participants of the Belt and Road Initiative. We, therefore, welcome and support the Belt and Road Initiative.
3.We agree that the Belt and Road Initiative embodies the spirit and principles of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, equality, mutual learning and benefit, as well as principles of extensive consultation, joint efforts, shared and mutual benefits, the concept of open, green, and clean cooperation, and the pursuit of high standard, people-centered and sustainable development which strengthen the connectivity and the expansion of the world economy. We remain committed to the aforementioned spirit, principles and concepts to expand and strengthen cooperation in, inter alia, development policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade, investment finance, and closer people-to-people bond, so as to strengthen global partnership.
4.We agree to jointly safeguard the common interests of all parties and other developing countries, enhance the representation and voice of developing countries, and uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and to safeguarding a transparent, inclusive and open rules-based multilateral trading system. We have concerns with forms of protectionism, including the use of unilateral and other trade measures that are inconsistent with the rules of the WTO.
5.We agree to explore synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative and development plans for Caribbean countries, with the aim or view to strengthen development policy coordination. China welcomes Caribbean countries participation in conferences and expositions, such as the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
6.We agree to build a fair and stable financial cooperation mechanism, explore ways for multilateral financial cooperation, encourage financial institutions to set up branches in each other's countries and promote openness and interconnection of financial markets including through payment system cooperation, in accordance with respective national laws and regulations as well as international commitments. We support collaboration among national and international financial institutions to provide diversified and sustainable financial support for projects.
7.We reaffirm the importance of expanding people to people exchanges. We agree that the Belt and Road Initiative promotes exchanges, mutual learning and dialogues among different peoples, cultures and civilizations. We are willing to strengthen exchanges among National Parliaments, legislatures, central and local governments, youths and societies, to enhance mutual understanding, promote exchanges in areas, such as education, human resources training, think tanks, media, publication, sports, tourism, and ecological environment and expand cooperation in tourism and cultural industries. We encourage exchanges among National Parliaments, sister provinces and cities, think tanks, academia, media and social organizations. China reaffirms that it will continue providing scholarship and human resources training opportunities to the Caribbean countries.
8.We agree to actively explore ways to further strengthen anti-corruption, judicial and law enforcement cooperation, to carry out information exchange and capacity building, through ways including the exploration of extradition, mutual legal assistance in combating crimes such as corruption, money laundering and illegal asset transfers.
9.We agree to continue strengthening cooperation in the field of health and are willing to cooperate on strengthening prevention and treatment of tropical diseases. We encourage more collaboration on sustainable agriculture, forestry and biodiversity conservation. We agree to promote cooperation in disaster prevention, reduction and relief and the establishment of the Belt and Road International Cooperation Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Management.
10.We are satisfied with the outcomes achieved at this conference. We highly appreciate the efforts of the governments of China and Grenada to successfully hold this conference. We agree to continue exploring ways to conduct regular exchanges and cooperation between China and the Caribbean countries within the framework of the Belt and Road cooperation.