Above: Bridgetown (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says he wants a “speedy conclusion” of an air services agreement with China.

The Prime Minister addressed the issue following a meeting with Barbados’ newly-named Ambassador to China, Dr Chelston Brathwaite.

Barbados has made no secret of the fact that it is making a serious push to court tourists from China. Last month, Stuart said the country had “great interest” in seeing Chinese nationals travel to Barbados.

Freundel said Barbados was in the “development phase” of its relationship with China, saying it was “now necessary to familiarize the Chinese with this country in an effort to attract Chinese tourists and business people to these shores.”

Brathwaite pointed to the 83 million Chinese tourists now traveling the world each year, spending $102 billion, calling it “vital to redirect some of them” to Barbados.

The new Ambassador left Barbados on Sunday for the new diplomatic posting.