STORY: Mutual respect, cooperation key to unfading bilateral ties with China: Antigua and Barbuda PM
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 1, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 26, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:39
LOCATION: Saint John's
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Antigua and Barbuda
2. Antigua and Barbuda's prime minister
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): GASTON BROWNE, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
4. various of Antigua and Barbuda
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): GASTON BROWNE, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
6. various of Antigua and Barbuda
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): GASTON BROWNE, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
8. various of Antigua and Barbuda

STORYLINE:

Antigua and Barbuda's prime minister said his country would enhance its relationship with China across several areas.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne sat down for an interview with Xinhua following his official visit to China in January this year.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): GASTON BROWNE, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
"We've had a very successful visit to China in which we have signed up to 10 cooperation agreements in various areas of our development, and we believe, as a result of the execution of those agreements, that we will be enhancing and strengthening, broadening the bilateral relationship between Antigua and Barbuda and the People's Republic of China (PRC)."

Antigua and Barbuda is an island country in the Eastern Caribbean with a population of more than 100,000.

It's one of the first countries in the Eastern Caribbean to establish diplomatic ties with China.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): GASTON BROWNE, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
"Antigua and Barbuda and the People's Republic of China (PRC) have enjoyed very strong diplomatic relations for the last 41 years. China has demonstrated that notwithstanding the asymmetries in size and power and resources between Antigua and Barbuda and PRC, that they have exercised full respect and have treated us with the type of respect that we have not seen in other relationships. I believe that that type of respect and mutual trust would have built the relationship over the last 41 years."

Browne said that over the years, the cooperative relations between Antigua and Barbuda and China have developed steadily in infrastructure, economic and trade investment, people-to-people exchanges, agriculture and climate change.

Antigua and Barbuda is the first country in the Eastern Caribbean to sign a memorandum of understanding with China on the Belt and Road Initiative.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): GASTON BROWNE, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
"They have helped us to build our socio-economic infrastructure. You can see that under the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, that the PRC has been delivering tangible benefits to developing countries globally. From that standpoint, we are thankful and we are very grateful."

Antigua and Barbuda has a pleasant climate, rich tourism resources and many high-quality beaches. Browne welcomed Chinese tourists to travel to his country. At present, Antigua and Barbuda and China have mutually exempt visa policies.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Saint John's.
(XHTV)