VZCZCXRO4661
PP RUEHGR
DE RUEHKG #0122/01 0481904
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171904Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7297
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0220

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 000122 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (ACADIEUX)(VDEPIRRO)(WSMITH) 
WHA/EPSC (MROONEY) (FCORNEILLE) 
EEB/ESC/IFD/EPC (McMANUS) 
 
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS AND FAS 
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECON PREL ENRG EFIN EINV ETRD EAID IADB IBRD IMF
TRYS, KCOR, KIPR, CH, JM, XL 
SUBJECT: JAMAICA INKS DEAL WITH CHINA 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Jamaica continues to be a beneficiary of Chinese 
generosity, with the country receiving over USD 118 million in loans 
and grants.  Under the agreements signed between Prime Minister 
Bruce Golding and Vice-President of China, Xi Jinping, who is on an 
official visit, Jamaica will receive trade financing and assistance 
in the areas of water, agriculture and education.  During his visit, 
the Chinese official also will participate in the ground breaking 
ceremony for a Chinese-financed convention center in the tourist 
resort of Montego Bay.  In welcoming the assistance, Golding said 
that Jamaica has benefited tremendously in the past from China and 
the new agreements would strengthen relations between both 
countries.  For his part, Jinping said China highly values its 
relations with Jamaica.  End summary. 
 
Chinese Benevolence 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The governments of Jamaica and the People's Republic of 
China have formalized a number of technical and economic agreements 
amounting to USD 118 million.  Under the agreements signed by 
Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding and China's Vice President, Xi 
Jinping, Jamaica will receive a USD 100 million line of credit for 
trade financing.  The island also will receive (1) USD 10 million in 
concessionary financing from the Chinese National Development Bank; 
(2) USD 7.3 million for technical and economic support; and, (3) USD 
1.1 million for the provision of agricultural equipment and 
machinery.  In addition, agreements were reached on technical and 
economic support for the establishment of: (1) a Chinese garden in 
the country's main botanical gardens; (2) the expansion of a water 
supply system previously financed by China; (3) road repairs; and, 
(4) the establishment of a Confucius institute at the University of 
the West Indies (UWI) for the teaching of Chinese language as well 
as a collaboration between the UWI and the Confucius Institute in 
China. 
 
Convention Center 
----------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Chinese VP also will be participating in a ground 
breaking ceremony for a 50,000 square foot Convention Center to 
house 7,000 people.  The facility, which will be funded by the 
Chinese to the tune of USD 45.2 million, was negotiated by former 
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in 2007, but had languished on the 
books.  To be situated on 35 acres of prime real estate in the 
tourist resort of Montego-Bay, the convention center will consist of 
an exhibition area, banquet space, and meeting rooms.  Upon 
completion of the center, Jamaica is expected to diversify its 
product offerings by making a foray into the USD 150 billion 
meetings-and-incentives market. 
 
Golding Welcomes Aid 
-------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) In welcoming the aid, Golding said Jamaica has benefited 
tremendously in the past from China, and the current benevolence 
would only serve to strengthen the relationship between both 
countries.  "Those relationships have existed for 36 years and they 
have grown stronger with every passing year", Golding is reported to 
have said.  Jamaica always has maintained a One-China policy and I 
have conveyed to the vice-president the assurance that Jamaica will 
remain unswervingly committed to one China", Golding added. 
Referencing the testing global economic climate, Golding stated that 
the aid was provided at a time when the capital markets are closed 
to countries like Jamaica.  He said the provisions will enable 
Jamaica to weather the global economic and financial storm.  Golding 
also disclosed that based on discussions with Jinping, there were no 
limits to the extent to which cooperation between Jamaica and China 
can grow and expand. 
 
Moots Reform Agenda 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Golding also referenced discussions he had with the Chinese 
official on the global economic landscape, confirming that there was 
consensus on the need for significant reform to the multilateral 
infrastructure.  "We share the view that the international financial 
and economic architecture will have to be reformed, in order to 
recognize the importance of developing countries, and the 
significant role that a country like China is playing in the global 
economic dynamics", Golding added.  It is clear that cooperation 
between both countries will move beyond just the parameters of 
 
KINGSTON 00000122  002 OF 002 
 
 
bilateral arrangements, to seek meaningful change to the global 
financial and economic arrangements, Golding concluded. 
 
Also Lauds China 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Golding also heaped praises on China for the strides it has 
made in becoming the second largest economy in the world, 31 years 
after launching a reform and modernization program.  He said the 
world has watched in amazement the success of that program and the 
impressive rates of growth it has produced.  The Jamaican PM said 
China continues to be a valued friend of Jamaica, and he was 
encouraged by the fact that China focuses not only on the present 
but plans and builds for the future.  We are encouraged by your 
assurance that strengthening and expanding the partnership with 
Jamaica is part of China's plans for the future, Golding continued. 
He also advised that he will take up an official invitation extended 
by China to visit that country at a mutually convenient time later 
this year.  For his part, Vice President Jinping responded by saying 
that China highly values its relations with Jamaica, a major partner 
of his country in the Caribbean.  Jinping said the new agreements 
would serve both countries and provided an opportunity to deepen 
ties.  "We are ready to work with Jamaica to build on the current 
progress and pioneering efforts so as to inject new vigor and 
vitality into the friendly partnership for communal development 
between our two countries", he concluded. 
 
HEG