The residents of Port of Spain and the residents of Shanghai, China, will mutually benefit in areas such as finance, tourism, trade and sports from the twinning of the two cities.
Port of Spain Mayor Joel Martinez said this as he delivered the remarks ahead of the signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent (LoI) between Shanghai and Port of Spain to become sister cities, at City Hall, Knox Street, yesterday.
On a larger scale, the twinning exercise involving Port of Spain and Shanghai is expected to foster better relations for the two nations.
Tuning in via Zoom during the event, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng echoed a similar sentiment of cooperation and collaboration. He outlined three suggestions – increasing economic, cultural and sports activities; using their brilliant and artistic talents; and entertaining each other with the unique existence.
Gong Zheng praised Trinidad and Tobago as China’s largest trading partner in the Caribbean.
Seated at the Mayor’s table were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China Fang Qiu and Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dr Amery Browne. Across Shanghai, Gong Zheng’s head desk was Ma Chunlei, secretary general of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government; Bai Zhaoijan, Deputy Director, Foreign Affairs Office; and Xue Yong Sheng, vice chairman of Shanghai Construction Group.
Also present in Port of Spain were Deputy Mayor Hillan Morean, Chief Executive Annette Stapleton-Seaforth and council members, along with Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, Energy Minister Stuart Young, Member of Parliament for Port of Spain South Keith Scotland and Chinese embassy officials. Michael Zhang.
Accompanied by nimble Chinese dancers, Junior Bisnath and his Moko Jumbies created a sensation. And a panist played a medley, including David Rudder’s Trini To D’ Bone.
After the signing, Martinez and Fang Qiu cut the ribbon leading to an eclectic photo exhibit featuring the two countries.
Practical help
In his speech, Martinez said, “It takes a long time to grow an old friend. It is my distinct privilege to sign the LoI. The cities were able to work together in the fields of finance, tourism and sports. Port of Spain and Shanghai will officially sign in the fields of trade, finance and education. Chinatown (Charlotte Street) is the first of its kind in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Shanghai is famous for its art and fashion. Port of Spain boasts boundless creativity, festivals and thriving business. There are plans to take the relationship further.”
And Martinez thanked Shanghai for providing practical help when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
“There is no greater example…when the world was going through its crisis, the two cities met. The social and economic input was to achieve the common good of safe and healthy cities,” he said.
The mayor thanked Fang Qiu for his leadership and care for the citizens.
In his speech, Fang Qiu said: “Shanghai embodies the transition from inception to great prosperity. There is a mix of traditional culture and modern life. It is important for China’s opening to the outside world and development.”
In his remarks, Browne said in May 2018, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley expressed his support for the twinning of Port of Spain and Shanghai.
“He talked about the lion and the mouse (Aesop’s Fable). The favor done to the mouse benefited the lion. I leave it to you to figure out who is the lion and who is the mouse,” he said.
One stop shop
Gong Zheng, who has been in office since 2020, recently oversaw the launch of the Shanghai International Sister Cities Project, which covers 92 cities from 59 countries and regions around the world. Launched in September 2022, the program aims to build a one-stop service platform for the exhibition, trade and communication of the sister cities’ economy, trade, culture and technology.
He said: “It’s a great place to meet you at last. During the unprecedented outbreak of Covid-19, Shanghai withstood the pressure, we showed resilience. The spread was first concentrated in the center. For the past nine months, multinational corporations have been in Shanghai. We have accelerated efforts… exploring a paradigm of Chinese-made products. Trinidad and Tobago is a very important partner of China in the Caribbean.”
