China’s President bids farewell to TT

The Chinese First couple and their delegation now head to Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States.

The Chinese President and First Lady were sent off by President Anthony Carmona, his wife Reema and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar who led her own delegation of Cabinet ministers.

Although the Regimental band played and there was a full ceremonial Guard of Honour, it was a very low keyed send off compared to the First couple’s arrival on Friday.

President Xi, President Carmona and PM Persad-Bissessar mounted the saluting dais, while the guard of honour presented arms, as the Regimental Band played the national anthems of TT and China. Afterwards President Xi gave a smart nod to acknowledge the soldiers. To the sweet strains of the TT Defence Force Steeelband, the VIP group walked to the foot of the waiting plane.

The Chinese First Couple walked up the stairs with Peng three steps ahead of Xi.

At the top, the duo turned to wave goodbye to everyone, pausing for five seconds, and then disappearing inside the plane. The regimental band played Bunji Garlin’s hit, “We Ready”.

The only sour note on the departure was that several Chinese media photographers reached late on the scene disembarking from a minibus in the official delegation, thereby blocking local photographers who had waited patiently in their media pool at their assigned position. Reports are that through the three-dat visit, TT and Chinese photographers engaged in much pushing and shoving for best vantage point.

On Saturday night, at the State banquet hosted by President Carmona at the Trinidad Hilton, both presidents expressed confidence that the deep ties between Trinidad and Tobago and China would endure and grow in the coming years.

Carmona recalled that TT had co-sponsored China’s place at the United Nations in a momentous decision in 1974 under the then TT Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams. Saying Williams had visited China in 1974 and 1975, and his successor George Chambers had done so in 1985, Carmona said, “Hopefully another prime minister will visit your blessed Republic”. A calmly passionate President Carmona said the two nations have deep ties and unbroken bonds that will grow stronger and help the two peoples to build their mutual understanding.

He assured Xi that TT will work with China in the economic, cultural and political fields in furtherance of universal human values for the improvement of the quality of life. Carmona expected collaboration to deepen in the years ahead, harnessing the existing goodwill and mutual respect between the two nations. Carmona saw a great future ahead for each nation. He said the tenacity of will, steadfastness of purpose and clarity of vision of each nation would benefit the peoples of the two republics. President Xi, in a quietly confident style, replied to the toast in Chinese, which was printed in English for guests. He thanked the gracious hospitality and warm reception of his hosts, and hailed the profound friendship of the people of TT towards the Chinese people.

Xi hailed TT’s “chord of harmony” plus its “resilience and dynamism amidst changing times”. He paid tribute for TT’s past support for China to join the UN. “We are ready to work with Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean countries in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation to create an even brighter future for China-Caribbean relations,” said Xi.

Also at the head table were Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar (clad in a stunning, orange Chinese-style outfit made in TT, and wearing yellow flowers in her hair), Chief Justice Ivor Archie, Her Excellency Reema Carmona, and Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan.

Speaker Wade Mark; former President George Maxwell Richards; Cabinet Ministers; Opposition MPs; Archbishop Anthony Harris; jurist Michael de la Bastide; Antigua Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer; UWI Principal Prof Clem Sankat; and Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Kenrick Maharaj were also present at the banquet.

Guests dined on local foods and foreign wines. The menu included red snapper, lamb, cinnamon plantain filled with mango chow, tamarind onion relish, candied garlic crushed cassava, papaya compote, green banana, tuna, with a dessert of coconut rum bread pudding, fruit cup, and guava and passion fruit mousse.

Wines on offer were a Shiraz from Chile, a Malbec from Argentina, a Chardonnay from France and a White Zinfandel from Australia.

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"China’s President bids farewell to TT"

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