China, Trinidad and Tobago mark 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages Friday with his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart Anthony Carmona to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In his message, Xi said he attached great importance to the development of bilateral ties.

Since he visited the Caribbean state last year and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar visited China early this year, cooperation between the two countries had made big headway in various fields, and the relationship had reached an unprecedented high and opened broader prospects for advancement, Xi said.

"I am ready to make joint efforts with you to prompt China and Trinidad and Tobago to continue to deepen mutual respect and mutual trust in politics, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in economy and trade, and learn from each other culturally so as to benefit the two countries and two peoples," Xi said.

Carmona, for his part, said friendly exchanges between China and Trinidad and Tobago had a history of more than 200 years. Both countries belonged to the Third World and enjoyed a fraternal relationship, which laid the foundation for the two to forge diplomatic ties 40 years ago.

Trinidad and Tobago had set up and advanced mutually beneficial ties over the past 40 years under the guidance of the five principles of peaceful coexistence which brought benefit to the two countries and two peoples, Carmona said.

"I am willing to work with you to lift bilateral ties to a higher level," he said.

Also on Friday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang exchanged congratulations with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the anniversary.

Li, who was on an official visit to Greece, said the two countries had conducted fruitful cooperation in such areas as infrastructure construction, economy and trade, and culture over the past 40 years, especially in recent years.

He voiced hope that with joint efforts, bilateral pragmatic cooperation would make more progress in more fields on a higher level.

Persad-Bissessar said Chinese President Xi's historic visit to her country last year, as well as her official visit to China earlier this year, laid a solid foundation for deepening bilateral ties and strengthening cooperation in areas such as economy and trade, energy, technology and culture.

She said her country would work with China to benefit the two peoples as bilateral ties embarked on a new milestone.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also exchanged congratulations with Trinidad and Tobago's acting Foreign Minister Roodal Moonilal on the anniversary.