Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Patterson said in Beijing Tuesday he hopes Jamaican and Chinese companies can increase cooperation in highway construction, information technology, and the manufacturing and tourism industries.

Patterson made the remarks at a business seminar for Chinese and Jamaican entrepreneurs. He also invited more Chinese enterprises to invest in Jamaica.

At the seminar, businessmen of the two countries discussed plans for cooperation in the fields of tourism, trade, real estate, finance and agriculture.

Patterson said that as China's sincere friend, Jamaica consistently supports China's economic development, adheres to the one-China policy and recognizes China's full market economy status. He expressed his hope that the two countries' business circles will build closer cooperative ties.

According to Yu Ping, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Jamaica has grown to be China's largest trade partner among Caribbean English-speaking countries.

In 2004, Sino-Jamaican trade reached almost 400 million US dollars, an increase of 90.8 percent over the same period the previous year.

Yu said the Chinese government encourages reliable and strong Chinese enterprises to invest in Jamaica, and also welcomes more Jamaican businessmen to seek cooperation opportunities in China.

Patterson also witnessed the signing ceremony of the establishment of a China-Caribbean business council.

Patterson arrived in the Chinese capital Sunday for a six-day official visit to China as guest of Premier Wen Jiabao.

This is Patterson's second official visit to China as prime minister. His entourage includes senior government officials and Jamaican businessmen. Besides Beijing, he will also tour Shanghai and Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Source: Xinhua