Vice Minister Zhang Taolin visits Trinidad and Tobago
for strengthening agricultural cooperation
Vice Minister Zhang Taolin met with Mr. Jairam Seemungal, Minister of Land and Marine Resources and Mr. Devant Maharaj, Minister of Food Production of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain on June 15 and 16, 2014. The two sides discussed the implementation of the cooperation consensuses reached by the two nations during President Xi Jinping's visit to Trinidad and Tobago, the establishment of agricultural innovation park in Trinidad and Tobago and strengthening bilateral agricultural cooperation.
At the meeting, Zhang said that his current visit is to implement the outcomes of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit, promote the establishment of agricultural innovation park in Trinidad and Tobago and further deepen agricultural cooperation between China and Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean region.
Zhang pointed out that ensuring sustainable food production is an important task for both countries, and the two countries enjoy great potentials for win-win cooperation in this area. Zhang also highlighted the existing solid foundation for the bilateral cooperation between the two nations. He expressed his wish to provide policy and financial support for bilateral cooperation, and hoped that the two sides develop a sound plan for establishing an advanced, comprehensive and modern agriculture park.
In response, the Trinidad and Tobago's side agreed with Zhang on his proposal. The two ministers of Trinidad and Tobago stated that the population is growing rapidly in the Caribbean region in a way that conventional food production mode can no longer meet the demand. Thus, Trinidad and Tobago is eager to work with China in rice production, aquaculture, agri-product processing, protected agriculture, small agricultural machines, environmental protection and human resource development to strengthen its capacity of addressing food insecurity risk in Trinidad and Tobago and even the Caribbean region.