China hopes to further tighten friendship and cooperation via the China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum with the Caribbean countries, said Vice President Zeng Qinghong Wednesday in Kingston.

Zeng said this in meetings, on separate occasions, with leadersof Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominic, Cuba, Suriname and Barbados, who are here to attend the opening ceremony of the firstMinisterial Meeting of the China-Caribbean forum that opened here earlier Wednesday.

This is in the fundamental interests of the two sides, he said,adding it will have positive impact on promoting the South-South cooperation.

Zeng said the Chinese side is convinced that the forum will play a positive role in enhancing China-Caribbean cooperation withefforts of all parties concerned.

These leaders said China's precious support and assistance for the Caribbean countries in many years has served to play a helpfulrole in promoting regional economic and social progress.

China's initiate on establishing the forum set up another example on developing the relations between a big country and small ones, they said, noting they take a positive attitude towards it and will join the Chinese side to reinforce economic and trade cooperation by the platform of the forum.

The leaders also reiterated their persistence to the one China policy.

Zeng arrived in Jamaica Tuesday, the last leg of his five-nation visit in Latin America and Caribbean after Mexico, Peru, Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. He is scheduled to leave here for Beijing Thursday.

Source: Xinhua