Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

China and Grenada agreed last Thursday to resume diplomatic ties in a step that would require the Caribbean island to break relations with Taiwan.

Grenada was one of 27 mainly African and Latin American nations that recognize Taiwan instead of China. The agreement was signed by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his Grenadian counterpart, Elvin Nimrod, who was visiting Beijing, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Grenada's prime minister Keith Mitchell, who visited Beijing last month, had hinted that the island might switch recognition to China. Beijing confirmed that Foreign Minister Li held political talks with Grenada's Elvin Nimrod and afterwards, the two sides officially signed a joint communiqu‚ on restoration of the diplomatic relations on behalf of their respective governments.

The Chinese confirmed that it was decided between the two foreign ministers that "our diplomatic relations are restored on 20 January 2005". Foreign Minister Li appreciated the decision of the Grenadian Government to restore diplomatic relations with China.

He emphasized in particular that the restoration of diplomatic relations marked "a new stage of our bilateral relations and paved the way to our friendly cooperation that is all-embracing and mutually beneficial in various fields".

"The normalization of China-Grenada relations serves the long-term interests of our two peoples and demonstrates again that the one China principle is recognized by the entire international community", he said. According to Foreign Minister Li, China and Grenada have a broad scope for cooperation on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, including not only politics, trade and economy, but also culture and education.

He also said that both Beijing and St. George's will make early appointments of ambassadors to each other and facilitate each other's efforts to build up embassies. The Chinese official was asked the following questions by journalists in Beijing:

Q: How much assistance will China provide Grenada? Meanwhile, will China demand entire severance of relations with Taiwan?

A: I said just now that it is an important decision, in the first place a political one, that the Chinese and Grenadian Government made to restore diplomatic relations.

The one China principle has been universally recognized and the Chinese side appreciates that Grenada confirms the principle. We are ready to start friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with Grenada in all fields on the basis of the one China principle and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

We have also said clearly on many occasions here that we don't challenge the purely people-to-people trade and economic exchanges between Taiwan and the countries in diplomatic ties with us.

However, the one China principle has to be fully implemented, which is the fundamental political foundations for the establishment of diplomatic relations with China.

A: After the restoration of diplomatic relations, China and Grenada will carry out mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as politics, trade, economy, culture and education.

We should say our two sides have a large room for cooperation to tap, with a realistic prospect awaiting. We will make earnest efforts to bring tangible benefits to our two peoples.