Above: Barbados FM Sen. Maxine McClean and Chen Changzhi, Vice Chairman of China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress

Barbados is one of China’s “important partners” in the Caribbean region, according to Chen Changzhi, Vice Chairman of China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

Chen was in Bridgetown as part of a delegation of officials observing Parliamentary procedures, in an effort to gain some knowledge of the “rudiments” of Barbadian legislature.

The two countries established diplomatic ties 34 years ago, and Barbados was one of the first countries in the region to do so.

Chen said China had seen a growth rate of 9 percent in the first three quarters of the year, but that did not mean the country’ was without challenges — from poverty to environmental problems and excessive energy consumption, he said.

“We always remind ourselves not to be carried away by our achievements in terms of our economy, since we have to solve the many problems comforting us,” he said. “We will continue to work with the international community, Barbados included, to increase cooperation exchanges, economic growth and people’s livelihood.”

–Barbados Information Service