When “60” Meets with “50”, Together for a Shared Future
当“60”遇上“50” 我们一起向未来
Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica Chen Daojiang Contributes a Signature Article to Jamaican Media
驻牙买加大使陈道江在牙主流媒体发表署名文章
8 August 2022
2022年8月8日
On the occasion of upcoming 60th anniversary of the independence of Jamaica, I would like to, on behalf of the Chinese Government and Chinese people, extend warm congratulations and best wishes to the Jamaican Government and Jamaican people. We are very glad to share the great happiness and joyness of the holiday with brotherly and sisterly Jamaicans.
在牙买加迎来独立60周年之际，我谨代表中国政府和中国人民向牙买加政府和牙买加人民致以热烈祝贺和美好祝福。我们很高兴同牙买加人民共享节日的快乐和喜庆。
60 years ago, Jamaica declared its independence after long-term struggle and unremitting efforts by Jamaican people, opening a brand-new chapter in Jamaican history. Since then, Jamaica has been embarking on a new journey of seeking prosperity for the country and bringing happiness to the people. Over the past 60 years, under the strong leadership of Jamaican leaders and arduous efforts of Jamaican people, Jamaica has been making big progress in socioeconomic development. Jamaica’s economic growth reached 8.2% in 2021/2022 fiscal year, laying a solid foundation for recovery from the COVID-19. Jamaica’s unemployment rate was 6% in April 2022, a record low. Jamaica has been constantly pushing forward its causes in various areas such as digital transformation, infrastructure construction and environmental protection, and has yielded positive progresses. Jamaican athletes proved Jamaica as a major sports country once again with excellent performances at the World Athletics Championships concluded not long ago. Jamaica also plays an active and important role in international and regional affairs. Diamond Jubilee of independence provides a great opportunity for Jamaica to gather national strength and plan for future development. I sincerely wish that Jamaica would achieve the goal of “Reigniting a Nation for Greatness” and become “the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business”.
60年前，经过长期斗争和不懈努力，牙买加人民终于建立了一个独立的国家，掀开了牙买加历史崭新的篇章。从此，牙买加踏上了为国家谋繁荣、为人民谋幸福的新征程。60年来，在牙买加历届领导人的有力领导和牙买加人民的努力奋斗下，牙买加经济社会发展取得巨大进步。2021-2022财年，牙买加经济增长8.2%，疫后复苏基础良好。今年4月，牙买加失业率为6%，创历史新低。数字化转型、基础设施建设、环境保护等领域工作也正持续推进并取得积极进展。在前不久结束的田径世锦赛上，牙买加运动员以优异的表现再次展示了牙买加体育强国地位。牙买加在国际和地区事务中也发挥着积极、重要的作用。独立60周年为牙买加凝聚全国力量、规划未来发展提供了良好机遇。我衷心祝愿牙买加以此为契机，找到一条符合自身国情的发展道路，实现“重燃伟大国家”目标，成为一个“宜居、宜工、宜家、宜商”的幸福国家。
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Jamaica, which is another joyful event. Jamaica was among the first several Caribbean countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. Over the past 50 years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of our two countries, China-Jamaica relations maintain steady and sound development. The bilateral practical cooperation has continuously been deepened, and the people-to-people exchanges between two countries have broadly been carried out, bringing many tangible benefits to our two countries and two peoples. China-Jamaica relations set up an example for developing countries to respect each other, treat each other as equals and seek win-win cooperation. Over the past 50 years, China’s accumulative investment in Jamaica has exceeded US$2.1 billion. The bilateral trade volume reached US$816 million in 2021. The China-aid new headquarter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, the Chinese Garden at Hope Royal Botanical Gardens, and the Confucius Institute at Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) have been the witnesses and symbols of China-Jamaica friendship and cooperation. China sent two “Bright Journey” Medical Missions to carry out ophthalmology therapy in Jamaica, which helped return a bright and colorful world to hundreds of Jamaican cataract patients. The China-aid Jamaica Western Children’s Hospital currently under construction, and the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project, South Coast Highway Project as well as the JISCO-Alpart Bauxite Upgrading and Revamping Project contracted by Chinese enterprises will improve medical services, strengthen infrastructure construction, create more jobs and promote economic growth for Jamaica, and these projects will become the new symbols and landmarks of mutually-beneficial cooperation between China and Jamaica. Jamaica’s reggae music, rum, Blue Mountain coffee provide Chinese people with enriched and diversified access to material and cultural experiences. We also welcome more Jamaica-featured products and services such as seafood, pork and tourism being exported to China so as to promote economic recovery and development of our two countries.
今年也是中牙建交50周年，可谓“双喜临门”。牙买加是最早同中国建交的加勒比国家之一。50年来，在两国领导人的战略引领下，中牙关系始终稳健发展，中牙务实合作深入推进，中牙人文交流广泛开展，给两国和两国人民带来实实在在的福祉。中牙关系成为发展中国家相互尊重、平等相待、合作共赢的典范。50年来，中国在牙累计投资已超21亿美元。去年中牙双边贸易额达8.16亿美元。中方援建的牙买加外交外贸部大楼、中国园、西印度大学莫纳分校孔子学院成为两国友谊与合作的见证。中国“光明行”眼科医疗队两次在牙开展白内障义诊活动，为数百名牙买加人重新开启光明之窗。中方正援建的西部儿童医院项目，承建的蒙特哥贝绕城路、南部沿海路、酒钢阿尔帕特氧化铝厂升级改造等项目将进一步改善牙医疗服务、完善牙基础设施建设、促进牙就业和经济增长，将成为中牙互利共赢合作的新象征、新标志。牙买加的“雷鬼”音乐、朗姆酒、蓝山咖啡也为中国人民带来了更丰富多彩、更多元的物质和文化体验。我们也欢迎海鲜、猪肉、旅游等更多牙买加特色产品和服务出口中国，促进两国经济复苏和发展。
When 60th anniversary of the independence of Jamaica meets with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Jamaica, additive momentum and good opportunity are provided for Jamaica’s own development, China-Jamaica relations and practical cooperation between our two countries. Both countries should seize this historical opportunity to work together, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of our two countries, to enhance bilateral practical cooperation in various areas, jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and implement the Global Development Initiative, so as to promote China-Jamaica Strategic Partnership to a higher level, bring more benefits to our two countries and two peoples, and make contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind!
当牙买加独立60周年遇上中牙建交50周年，这为牙买加自身发展、中牙关系和中牙务实合作提供了叠加动力和良好契机。我们两国要抓住这一历史性机遇，在两国领导人的战略引领下，齐心协力，深化中牙各领域务实合作，携手高质量共建“一带一路”，落实全球发展倡议，推动中牙战略伙伴关系迈上新台阶，给两国和两国人民带来更多福祉，为构建人类命运共同体作出积极贡献！
I wish Jamaica prosperity and Jamaican people happiness and wellness! May China-Jamaica relations gain steady and greater development! May China-Jamaica friendship last forever!
最后，祝牙买加繁荣昌盛、牙买加人民幸福安康！祝中牙关系蒸蒸日上、中牙友谊万古长青！