Above: the signing ceremony in Nassau (BIS Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Bahamas and China have signed an economic and technical cooperation agreement.

The grant agreement was signed by Bahamian Foreign Minister Frederick Mitchell and Chinese Ambassador to the Bahamas Hu Shan on in a ceremony at the House of Assembly on Thursday.

The grant totals $13 million, Mitchell said.

“I know the Prime Minister has a list of projects which he has allocated to this,” he said. “So it is a special pleasure to be able to accept the gift and to assure you that it will be used for the betterment and development of our country,” he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping first extended the offer to the Bahamas during his visit to Trinidad and Tobago in the spring.

“It is a sterling example of the type of cooperation that has existed between our two countries since the establishment of [diplomatic] relations in May 1997,” said Philip Miller, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Among the projects to be funded using the grant include an agricultural school in Andros, sporting facilities in the Family Islands and a school for children with special needs.

Mitchell said he hoped to visit China in two weeks.