STORY: Barbados PM calls for global cooperation to tackle common challenges, spur development
DATELINE: June 27, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:02
LOCATION: Bridgetown
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the views in Barbados
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MIA AMOR MOTTLEY, Barbados Prime Minister
3. various of the views in Barbados
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MIA AMOR MOTTLEY, Barbados Prime Minister
5. various of the views in Barbados
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): MIA AMOR MOTTLEY, Barbados Prime Minister

STORYLINE:

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley stressed the importance of Barbados-China ties.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MIA AMOR MOTTLEY, Barbados Prime Minister
"It's interesting that you come from one of the largest countries in the world, and we come from one of the smallest countries in the world. But in spite of that, in spite of the differences and size, the commitment to a number of key values allows us to be able to work cooperatively together."

This year marks the 10th anniversary of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Barbados has already benefited from stepped-up cooperation with China, with repairs made to a number of roads in the Scotland district, representing one-seventh of the country's land area.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MIA AMOR MOTTLEY, Barbados Prime Minister
"China made very clear to the world that it wanted to be able to reach out through the Belt and Road Initiative, to be able to help countries across the world, bring greater levels of development and greater levels of connectivity in working and helping each other. And then obviously, with respect to China, Barbados is happy to have signed that agreement.
And we see, therefore, the Belt and Road Initiative, as it does, another arm of development cooperation that is intended to ensure that on this planet Earth, we can live together with each other in ways that will bring benefits to each other."

Mottley noted that countries worldwide should put their differences aside to work together to tackle common global challenges and spur development for the people.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): MIA AMOR MOTTLEY, Barbados Prime Minister
"The world is in a very precarious position. And the one thing I know is that we are bound by being human and by living on the (same) planet.

And rather than focusing on the differences that separate us, we really need to put those differences one side, aside of us, and focus on what we must do together to save the planet and to be able to make it more hospitable for human beings to live on this planet and to build the prosperity that we need to make it all happen."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Bridgetown.
(XHTV)