On the morning of February 2, 2005, the first Ministerial Meeting of the "China-Caribbean Economic & Trade Cooperation Forum" with the theme of enhancing cooperation and common development which was co-sponsored by the Chinese government and the Jamaican government opened in Jamaica. Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech with the title of "Jointly Writing a New Historic Chapter on the Reciprocal China-Caribbean Cooperation".

Prime Minister Patterson of Jamaica, Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer of Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Vice President Carlos Lage Davila of the Council of State of Cuba and Vice President Jules Ajodhia of Suriname, as well as nearly 1,000 personnel, including government officials and businessmen from China and the Caribbean, and representatives from international and regional organizations were present at Tuesday's opening ceremony.

In his speech Zeng said the establishment of the China-Caribbean Economic & Trade Cooperation Forum is a milestone in China-Caribbean relations. It provides a platform to deepen China-Caribbean friendship and expand their reciprocal cooperation and a mechanism which is of great significance and has far-reaching impact. It signifies that China-Caribbean friendly cooperation will make a new step forward from now on. Zeng also made five proposals on how to promote China-Caribbean friendly cooperation for continuous substantive progress. His speech won long-time applause from the attendees.

Patterson, in his opening address, noted that the forum is a timely event. Today's meeting is a milestone in the history of China-Caribbean relations, opening a new page in the development of bilateral ties. The time for Caribbean countries and China to join hands and explore new areas and channels for cooperation has come. He said that more and more Caribbean countries are committed to the one-China policy and take an active part in reciprocal cooperation with China, which will further enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation and the partnership of common development.

The forum was initiated by China in 2004 and well responded to by the Caribbean countries. Its mission is to discuss how to promote China-Caribbean economic and trade exchanges and cooperation so as to realize common development. It is held every three to four years in Caribbean countries and China in turn. It is an economic and trade cooperation forum with the theme of economic cooperation and development. The next meeting will be held in China.

After the opening ceremony, representatives of China and 11 Caribbean countries signed the Action Program for Economic and Trade Cooperation. Zeng, Patterson and other officials attended the signing ceremony. On the afternoon of the same day, Zeng attended the opening ceremony of the China-Caribbean trade fair and cut ribbon for it.

It is said that in the two-day meeting, representatives of Chinese and Caribbean governmental officials and entrepreneurs will hold concrete consultations on specific topics on further strengthening cooperation in such areas as investment and trade, agriculture, fishery, tourism, aviation, finance and human resources. They will also hold China-Caribbean entrepreneurs' conference, a conference on economic and trade collaborative projects, and a trade fair.

According to Chinese statistics, the trade volume between China and the Caribbean in 2004 totaled US$2 billion, a 42.5% year-on-year increase. By the end of 2004, Chinese businesses have implemented all kinds of labor contracts in the Caribbean region totaling US$1.32 billion, fulfilling the business volume of over US$900 million.