On 7 October 2011, when Antigua and Barbuda was expecting its 30th Anniversary of National Independence, H.E. Mr. Liu Hanming, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Antigua and Barbuda, received exclusive interview by the ABS TV of Antigua and Barbuda. Ambassador Liu looked back at the achievements of the China and Antigua and Barbuda relationship since the two countries established diplomatic relation 28 years ago and elaborated specifically Chinese basic foreign policy and guiding principle to solidify and develop the cooperation with other developing countries.
Q: How long have you been the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Antigua and Barbuda?
A: On August, 18th 2011, as the 12th Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Antigua and Barbuda, I landed at the V.C. Bird International Airport with my wife Mrs. Jiao Fang, setting my feet on the beautiful land of Antigua and Barbuda for the first time. On August, 20th 2011, I already presented my credentials to Governor General H.E. Dame Louise Lake-Tack, setting a record for Chinese Ambassadors to present credentials in the shortest time and confirming the friendly and cooperative relationship of brotherhood between China and Antigua and Barbuda. Based on the hard work of all my predecessors and my active efforts, the development of China and Antigua and Barbuda relationship now maintains a good tendency. China and Antigua and Barbuda have kept high level exchange and conducted good cooperation on international issues of common interests. The economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has been deepened. Personnel exchange in various areas between the two countries is getting closer. In particular, State Councilor of the People's Republic of China conducted a successful visit to Antigua and Barbuda, moving China and Antigua and Barbuda relationship to a higher level.
Q: While you were recently appointed by your country to serve in Antigua and Barbuda, our nations have had an alliance with each other as early as 1983. What is the philosophy of the Chinese Government that allowed your nation to enter into an alliance with a recently independent small nation that is politically and culturally different to yours?
A: China is willing to establish and develop friendly relations and cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which includes mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.
It is a cornerstone of China's foreign policy to strengthen unity and cooperation with other developing countries. China is a country with big population. Antigua and Barbuda is small. Both countries are developing countries. We shared a common lot in the past and faced with a common objective of maintaining national independence and achieving economic development. There is a profound foundation and a broad prospect for our cooperation. This is the philosophy and consideration for China to establish relations with Antigua and Barbuda.
China respects the diversity of the world. There are nearly 200 countries and over 5 billion people in the world. As countries differ in historical conditions, social system, level of development, cultural tradition and value, there cannot and should not be only one development model, one value or one social system. It will be dull if all are the same.
Q: Since Antigua and Barbuda signed the bilateral agreement with the People's Republic of China in 1983, your government has funded several structural projects in the past such as the Grays' Farm Drain, the Big Creek Bridge and the Multipurpose Centre. Can you share your country's purpose for providing such funding to a small developing nation such as Antigua and Barbuda?
A: China maintains that countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are all equal members of the international community. This is one of the basic points of Chinese foreign policy. China and Antigua and Barbuda are both developing countries. Promoting economic development and improving living standards of the people are the common tasks that our two governments are facing. China treasures highly its friendship with Antigua and Barbuda and regards Antiguan and Barbuda as a trustworthy friend. While endeavoring in its own progress and development, China is willing to fulfill its international obligations and provide assistance to developing countries in purpose of enhancing their self-reliance capacity of development, promoting the overall social and economic progress in developing countries to achieve common development.
In fact, besides the projects you mentioned just now, there are other projects constructed in Antigua and Barbuda with the help of financial support provided by the Chinese government as grants or interest-free loans since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between our two countries. For example, Street Lights Project,New Cricket Stadium Project and the 30MW New Power Plant Project just completed in September this year. These projects closely link to local people's life and production and making great contributions to the economic development and infrastructure construction in Antigua and Barbuda. With these projects, people in our two countries get into contacts with each other, understand more about each other, deepen the feelings and establish friendship. The two economies have certain degree of complementary. China is willing to tap potentials and broaden sphere of further cooperation which is in line of our common interest.
Q: I'm sure the negotiations for these types of projects are rather extensive and involved and many discussions must take place before final agreement is reached. Can you share with us the role the People's Republic of China's Ambassador plays in this process?
A: Foreign aid is an important job of the Embassy. A division of the Embassy is responsible for the foreign aid and management of projects execution. The division takes part in project talks, discussions and negotiations. It also acts in a way as a supervisor of projects. As Ambassador to Antigua and Barbuda, I shall be in full charge of the foreign aid, to oversee the overall work and to communicate and coordinate in the process of major projects and its big issues, to solve problems and push on right track.
Q: In more recent times, since the United Progressive Party took office, your country has continued to provide funding in the form of low interest loans for projects in Antigua and Barbuda. The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium; however, was a gift. Can you speak to the negotiation process that initiated and saw this project and valuable gift through to completion?
A: Cricket is a popular sport among the Caribbeans and Europeans. Cricket World Cup is a big event in this region. Antigua and Barbuda relys mainly on tourism for its financial income. Antigua and Barbuda made great efforts to bid for Cricket World Cup 2007. But at that time, there was only one stadium in this country and its facilities were old and could not meet the needs. Upon the request of Antiguan and Barbudan government , through negotiations, the Chinese government offered aid, not low interest loans, and to build the New Cricket Stadium Project which is now the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Total investment of the project is 157 million RMB. Construction started on 8 Sept.2005 and completed at 31 October 2006. It took only 14 months to build up the stadium. The scale of the project was huge while the time to finish was short. The Chinese and Antiguan and Barbudans worked closely together and handled all the issues with special attention. While taking into serious consideration of quality, they cut short the design and construction process, overcame many difficulties and worked hard to achieve the goals of high quality, security and on schedule. The stadium is a miracle in the history of architecture of Antigua and Barbuda. It provides a sound and favorable condition for Cricket. It has hosted many international sports events and is now a landmark of Antigua and Barbuda.
Q: The most recent project to come to completion as a result of our alliance with the People's Republic of China is the 30 mega-watt power plant; can you share with us what the last few months of this effort was like?
A: 30MW New Power Plant Project started on 2 June 2009. It takes 2 years and 3 months and handed over to Antigua and Barbuda government on 1 Sept.2011. The Chinese has completed its job for construction. Now it is in operational phase. During the construction, great efforts have been done from our two sides to overcome many difficulties and to push hard for its success. In the last few months, they must complete the construction, check up equipments and went through every process. Make preparations for different phases such as before testing, testing and experimental running of the equipments. To solve technical problems and arrange manpower and equipments. All tests reached the goals. During the testing running period, from 1 Aug to 1 Sept, it generated 1200. Technicians from Antigua and Barbuda trained on spot during the testing period to enhancing technique and operation skills. According to the agreement between APUA and BCEG, the Power Plant was put into use since 1 Sept.2011.
Q: We are aware that there are some other projects nearing completion or are about to begin such as the state of the art community centre in Barbuda, the airport project, a secondary school. Are things on stream for these projects?
A: Barbuda Community Centre has been carried out smoothly and is going to be completed in October. The New Terminal Project of V.C Bird International Airport will be started on 2 Nov. 2011. The preparatory works such as workers, equipments and construction materials are all underway. A Chinese team will come to make land survey of the Secondary School project in October. Yes we can say things are on stream for these projects.
Q: After a major project is completed, I am sure much assessment and evaluation takes place, so as to determine if goals and objectives were met and if further collaboration will continue in the future. What are some of the mechanisms your country looks for when such assessments are being conducted?
A: The Chinese Government has set up a system and measures to deal with foreign aid projects. This system covers all the different phases of a project starting from feasibility study, establishment of project, land survey and design, project construction and acceptance upon completion of project. To ensure the high quality of project, projects must be constructed with enterprise contract and responsibility system together with a supervision responsibility system. Upon completion of project, a team composed by technicians and officials from the Chinese government will assess and evaluate so as to determine if goals or objectives was met. For the major project, the Chinese Government will dispatch a representative residing at the recipient country to coordinate with the recipient country. After the project is completed, an inspection and assessment team will be sent by the Chinese government to evaluate the goals and to decide if further collaboration will continue in the future upon discussion with the recipient country.
Q: A Bilateral agreement is a two way alliance and we in Antigua and Barbuda are very aware of how your country has been assisting our nation in tangible ways. What does PRC gain from this alliance?
A: Bilateral cooperation between China and Antigua and Barbuda has brought tangible benefits to Antigua and Barbuda and pushed forward the economic and social development in this country. Through foreign aid, China has consolidated friendly relations with Antigua and Barbuda. The two countries are close friends and brothers. Through cooperation based on mutual benefits, exchanges and cooperation between our two countries in multilateral arena have improved. People in Antigua and Barbuda understand more about China, its enterprises, technologies and products. It has greatly pushed forward the economic and trade cooperation between our two countries and achieved mutual benefit and win-win progress.
Q: Many students in Antigua and Barbuda have and are receiving academic scholarships to the People's Republic of China; clearly our students are benefiting by receiving a degree and learning a new language. Do you see the Chinese students, learning institutions, and general society gaining from the presence of Antiguan and Barbudan students?
A: The communication between China and Antigua and Barbuda is always two-way and mutually beneficial, so is the communication in the field of education between the two countries. Over the years, many Chinese ordinary people, due to a distance of thousands of miles between China and Antigua and Barbuda in geography, know little about Caribbean and Antigua and Barbuda, becoming an obstacle for developing the comprehensive and friendly relationship between China and Antigua and Barbuda. At present, when one after another groups of outstanding students from Antigua and Barbuda go to China to learn Chinese and other expertise, they open a window for their colleges and classmates in China and even other Chinese ordinary people to learn Caribbean and Antigua and Barbuda in terms of politics, economy, history, culture and folkway, putting up a bridge of non-governmental exchange between China and Antigua and Barbuda.
Q: The People's Republic of China has really been a friend to Antigua and Barbuda; in fact, China supported our bid to the G77 and China Chairmanship. Can you tell us a bit about this process as well as share the objectives of your government in assisting a developing nation such as ours in this undertaking?
A: China and Antigua and Barbuda are maintaining good coordination and cooperation in multilateral area, which becomes a key element and one of the bright spots of the friendly and cooperation relationship between the two countries. Chinese Government and people evaluate forever that Antigua and Barbuda all the times stands firmly with China on those issues such as Taiwan, the UN Security Council Reform and climate change. Based on the same reasons, China firmly supported Antigua and Barbuda's campaign for presidency of the G77+China and deeply appreciated the active efforts and excellent leadership of Antigua and Barbuda as the president of the G77+China. As the biggest developing country, China takes the consolidating and developing the cooperation with developing countries as the cornerstone of Chinese foreign policy. Therefore, China always advocates the need to establish the fair and reasonable new order of international politics and economy and supports extending the representation and say of developing countries in various international organizations such as the United Nations.
