STORY: China-proposed BRI opens up opportunities to countries: Dominican PM
SHOOTING TIME: March 4, 2024
DATELINE: March 22, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:58
LOCATION: Roseau
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ROOSEVELT SKERRIT, Dominican Prime Minister
2. various of an agricultural program of Chinese aid to Dominica
3. various of the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital
4. various of Dominica
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ROOSEVELT SKERRIT, Dominican Prime Minister 

STORYLINE:

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has opened up numerous opportunities for not only Dominica, but other countries.

This is according to Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in a recent interview with Xinhua.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ROOSEVELT SKERRIT, Dominican Prime Minister
"The Belt and Road Initiative has opened up numerous opportunities for not only Dominica, but to countries around the world in providing financing, providing technical support, providing material support, to help build economic independence and to advance the social development of our country.
Under the Belt and Road Initiative, we have been able to see an expansion of the cooperation in agriculture with China, which is aiding us in our food security, which is aiding us in increasing the contribution of agriculture to our gross domestic product, and also the transfer of technology to our local farmers in order to advance the agricultural, business and to see a better return on the investments.
If you speak about health care in Dominica and you don't mention China and the Belt and Road Initiative, then, we have not discussed health care. With the construction of the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital and the introduction of new technologies, equipment, and also the cooperation that we have in respect to the cardiology department that has been created with the direct support of China, we've seen a dramatic improvement in the health care in Dominica as a result of the Belt and Road Initiative."

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and Dominica. The prime minister has expressed the hope to further deepen the bilateral relations between the two countries.

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ROOSEVELT SKERRIT, Dominican Prime Minister
"We look forward to further strengthening and deepening of the bilateral relations between Dominica and China, but also to assisting us in working together in addressing global issues, the advancement of peace and prosperity for the rest of the world, so that we all in the world can live better lives."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Roseau.
(XHTV)