Dominican President hails China's long-standing support in education, healthcare, agriculture

During her recent visit to China, Sylvanie Burton, president of the Commonwealth of Dominica, expressed gratitude for China's long-standing support in sectors vital to her nation's development, especially education, healthcare, and agriculture.

Speaking in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired Friday, President Burton highlighted the transformative impact of Chinese scholarships that have enabled over 200 students from Dominica to pursue higher education in China since diplomatic relations between the two nations were established in 2004.

"We are very happy that China has offered us a number of scholarships across the time that we've had bilateral relations. Our young people, they come to China, they get trained and they return home to continue the development process. And that for us is very critical. So, we are grateful to China for having given us some scholarships, we look forward to having more scholarships, and not only scholarships for universities, but scholarships to understudy different things, maybe in the technological world. I recall people from my community coming to China to learn to grow the bamboo and to utilize the bamboo for making furniture and other stuff. So, a number of people have come for different reasons to study, understudy, and experience what happens in China," said Burton.

She noted that China's assistance has been equally pivotal in healthcare. Over the past 17 years, around 40 Chinese medical experts have delivered high-quality care in Dominica. A landmark achievement was the Caribbean country's very first cardiology surgery, only made possible with the China-assisted cardiology unit.

"First and foremost, let me thank the government of China again for the construction of the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital. Because of the construction of that hospital, the equipping of that hospital, and the Chinese medical teams, we have been able to offer an additional 30 services, healthcare services, to our people. And for us, this is critical because a number of our people would have to be flown out of the country to receive medical care. And with the assistance of the Chinese medical team, we have been able to make strides, to assist our medical personnel with experiences and sharing experiences," said Burton.

Moreover, Chinese doctors have continued to provide remote care through telemedicine, offering diagnoses and medical advice to patients in Dominica from thousands of kilometers away in China.

"They (the Chinese doctors) have also not just returned home, but they've continued to do telemedicine. And so, a patient in Dominica can be diagnosed or treated or given advice by the Chinese doctors here in China. So, it's not only that the Chinese medical team has come and assisted us in training our medical personnel, in developing some of the units that we have at the hospital. And for that, we are very grateful. We can speak about other areas. For example, we have the Chinese agricultural mission that has been in Dominica of a number of years assisting us with different varieties, especially because of the fact that with climate change, there are a number of diseases we now have to ensure that we have resilient crops for food security," she said.

Dominican President hails China's long-standing support in education, healthcare, agriculture

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has lauded China's inclusiveness, diversity and wisdom in its five-year plan and high-level opening-up process.

In an exclusive interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Diab said China has repeatedly demonstrated its dedication to these values through its actions and deliberate policy planning.

"I think the path that China is leading, and its self-evident Five-Year Plans, [both] over the past 14th Five-Year Plan and the current 15th Five-Year Plan, stress inclusiveness of cultural diversity, cultural diplomacy, openness to other societies, countries -- that echoes very well with people like me that [China] wants the world to benefit, not just a single country," said Diab.

"Lebanon is a very small country. We've been doing e-commerce, relatively small, compared to China, of course. I think it's great that China wants to open up to the world, and the success of China is actually having the world markets. You can have the greatest idea, but [what's the point] if you can't sell? So I'm very much for cooperation and collaboration between China and the rest of the world, and of course, Lebanon, my country. But I think it's a very unique perspective that the Chinese leadership, which I have much respect for, and of course, the Chinese people, that made it happen. Because, as I always say, they are hard-working people, and very committed people, very resilient people," he said.

The former prime minister also highlighted that the diversity of Chinese society and policies has solidified the foundation for its high-level opening-up process while ensuring that modernization can be achieved through multifaceted efforts.

"This is exactly what I was trying to say that China encourages diversity. And when I say diversity, not with respect to identity, with respect to modernization, success, pathways, industrialization. They are open to other ideas, to other civilizations, to other points of views. I mean, the world is not black and white. It's gray. Everybody has something to offer, one way or the other. So, having multiple paths for modernization, it's probably the right way. I mean, we're not photocopies of each other across the globe. What China did is great for China, and what China is recommending for other countries to do, is also great for these countries. But I'm saying, no country has full wisdom. It's the collective wisdom of everybody that will make a difference at the global level. That's what impressive about China," Diab said.

Former Lebanese PM lauds China's openness to all societies