Xi calls for legislative exchanges with Trinidad and Tobago

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for more exchanges between the legislative bodies of China and Trinidad and Tobago while meeting with the parliament leaders of the Caribbean nation.

"I hope the legislative bodies of the two countries can maintain exchanges, and learn from each other on legislation, supervision and governance," Xi said when he met with Senate President Timothy Hamel-Smith and Speaker of House of Representatives Wade Mark.

Xi said legislative exchanges can enhance mutual understanding, consolidate public support for the development of the bilateral relationship and promote friendly cooperation between the two countries.

The Chinese president also spoke highly of the achievements that Trinidad and Tobago has achieved in social, economic and ecological development.

Xi arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday evening for a three-day state visit, the first by a Chinese head of state since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1974.

Xi said he has reached new major consensus on expanding bilateral cooperation with the leaders of Trinidad and Tobago during his visit.

Smith and Mark, for their parts, recalled their visits to China last year, saying the tour helped them better understand the country's development path and governing methods.

They said Trinidad and Tobago supports the Chinese people to pursue their Chinese dream, and their country's parliament hopes to have regular exchanges with the National People's Congress of China to further promote bilateral ties.

Later in the afternoon, Xi, accompanied by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, attended a ceremony marking the start of the construction of a children's hospital by a Chinese company in the central city of Couva.

Xi extended his warm greetings to the workers of the project from the two countries, and urged the Chinese side to guarantee the timely completion of the project with high quality and to make it a new symbol of the friendship between China and Trinidad and Tobago.

Also on Saturday, President Xi's wife Peng Liyuan, accompanied by First Lady Reema Carmona, visited a local facility caring for mentally disabled children.

Peng watched singing and dancing performances by the children and donated toys to them.

She said children, especially mentally disabled ones, need care and love, and called for more exchanges in charity between the two countries.

Earlier in the day, Xi held talks with Bissessar on expanding bilateral cooperation. Following the talks, the two countries signed a host of cooperation deals.

During the visit, Xi will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica, all of which are Caribbean countries with diplomatic ties with China.

From Port of Spain, the Chinese president will travel to Costa Rica and Mexico for state visits. He will then fly to the U.S. state of California for a summit meeting with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama on June 7-8.