by H E Ambassador Yang Shu, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to Grenada
20 January 2026 marked the 21st anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Grenada.
Over the past 21 years, China and Grenada have forged a robust partnership that has delivered substantial benefits to both nations and peoples. This partnership stands as a model of mutual respect, equality and shared prosperity between countries of different sizes. I would proudly describe the remarkable achievements in our bilateral ties as being built on 3 solid pillars.
First, deepening political trust. Over the past 21 years, China and Grenada have been consistently committed to the principles of mutual respect, equality, and unwavering support for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. China highly appreciates Grenada’s firm adherence to the one-China principle, which is the political foundation of our relationship. Our 2 countries have maintained regular high-level exchanges and dialogue over the years. Last year, Hon. Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell paid a successful visit to China and signed 14 Agreements and MOUs. These interactions have built a solid foundation of political trust and mutual understanding. As fellow members of the Global South, China and Grenada share similar positions on upholding international fairness and justice as well as promoting open development. Our 2 countries have also collaborated on the global stage, share a commitment to multilateralism and uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, and support each other in bilateral, regional, and multilateral affairs. China firmly supports the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, while Grenada supports China’s justified position against foreign interference in its internal affairs.
Second, expanding practical cooperation. Practical cooperation between our 2 countries has advanced rapidly and expanded across various sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, education, human resource development, blue economy, low-carbon development, healthcare, housing, youth and sports, disaster prevention and relief and more. In 2024, the trade volume between our 2 nations reached US$27.4 million, marking a 13.98% year-on-year increase.
China and Grenada have inked 16 Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreements since 2005. Under these frameworks, a series of large-scale projects were successfully implemented with grants from the Chinese government. The reconstruction and expansion projects of the Kirani James Athletic Stadium and the National Cricket Stadium have transformed these 2 facilities into premier venues for Grenadian, regional and international sports events and social activities as well. Additionally, the 1,000 units of the low-income housing project, a great gift from the government and people of China, offer comfortable homes for families in Grenada. In the agricultural sector, we have carried out eight consecutive phases of technical cooperation, introducing and promoting advanced agricultural technologies and equipment to Grenada.
Crops such as eggplants, cucumbers, winter melons, dragon fruits, wax gourd, five-finger fruit and grapes have enriched the dining tables of Grenadian households, which contributed meaningfully to the efforts of self-sufficiency of fruits and vegetables in Grenada. We are now steadily advancing the implementation of Phase 9 of the agricultural technical cooperation, which is expected to make a significant contribution to local food security and sustainable farming practices.
In the field of healthcare, a Chinese Medical Team served in Grenada from 2008 to 2010, and the Chinese Navy’s Ark Peace Hospital Ship has visited Grenada twice, providing high-quality medical service to the Grenadian people. This tradition of support was powerfully sustained during the Covid-19 pandemic, as our 2 countries worked in close cooperation to combat the crisis. Medical experts shared experience through virtual meetings, and China provided Grenada with more than ten batches of essential medical supplies.
In the domain of youth and sports development, the table tennis technical cooperation programme is proceeding through the Chinese government procurement process, with implementation set to begin by the end of the first quarter. Additionally, discussions are underway regarding a new initiative aligned with green development principles. It is anticipated that further projects will be introduced in the future, contributing to Grenada’s pursuit of sustainable and green development.
Apart from the above mentioned, in recent years, we implemented more than a dozen of various community-level projects with fund support from the Chinese side, such as refurbishing community centres and sports facilities, constructing new public facilities, paving and extending street roads, installing sports field facilities, equipping ICT centre, construction of play parks for children and donating sports equipment and electronic devices to schools. After the passage of Hurricane Beryl, we acted swiftly to provide assistance to NaDMA both in cash and in kind for its relief work. And we have also recently handed over EC$110,000 in funding to them. This timely support underscores our commitment to enhancing Grenada’s climate resilience. All these efforts, serving as a vivid reflection of the goodwill and pragmatic spirit of the Chinese people, have greatly contributed to Grenada’s development and deepened the friendship between our 2 peoples.
Third, flourishing people-to-people exchanges. During the last 20 years, 13 Chinese art troupes visited Grenada, and this year, we plan to invite a team of professional chefs to introduce authentic Chinese cuisine, and we sincerely hope that Grenadian cultural groups, artists, and musicians will have the opportunity to visit China. The embassy stands ready to provide full support for such exchanges, as we believe these cultural interactions build the strongest bridges of friendship between our peoples. Since its establishment in 2015, the Confucius Institute has served as a vital platform for the people of Grenada to learn the Chinese language and appreciate its culture. Having attracted over 800 students, it has gained immense popularity within the Grenadian community and has actively fostered greater understanding and exchange between our 2 nations.
Education and human resources development are important components of cooperation between China and Grenada. China has provided training opportunities to the developing countries, including Grenada, for many years. Over the 21 years, more than 250 and 3,000 Grenadians have studied or participated in training programmes in China, respectively. Last year alone, more than 580 Grenadians participated in various training programmes in China, setting a new record for annual participation. Currently, over 70 Grenadian students are pursuing their studies at Chinese universities, among whom 35 are supported by Chinese Government Scholarships. These initiatives vividly reflect the deepening educational cooperation and mutual friendship between our 2 nations.
Our bilateral cooperation is further complemented by dynamic exchanges at the local level. The cities of Foshan in Guangdong Province and Ningbo in Zhejiang Province have established friendly ties with the Town of St George and St Patrick’s Parish, respectively. I am confident that there will be more sisterships between our 2 countries in the near future. These exchanges continue to foster mutual understanding and friendship, bringing our peoples closer together.
2026 marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period, a significant juncture as we also celebrate the 21st anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Grenada. As we reflect on the journey of bilateral relations over the last 21 years, we take pride in our collective achievements. These milestones have laid a solid foundation, built on unwavering commitment and mutual respect. Looking ahead, we are confident that our partnership will embrace even broader prospects. China stands ready to work with Grenada to align our cooperation with the new opportunities presented by China’s pursuit of high-quality development, high-standard opening-up, and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which will continue to inject stability and positive momentum into the global economy.
Together, we will jointly advance the Five Programmes proposed by President Xi Jinping in pursuit of shared development and revitalization, and continue to support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative, uphold the multilateral trading system and an environment for open cooperation, and defend international fairness and justice as well as world peace and stability.
