Trinidad and Tobago launches Belt & Road industrial park

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Keith Rowley (1st R), Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon (3rd L), Chinese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Fang Qiu (2nd L) and other officials attend the launch ceremony of the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Point Lisas, the second-largest port in Trinidad and Tobago, Jan. 10, 2024. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the Caribbean country. (Xinhua/Zhu Wanjun)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the Caribbean country.

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Keith Rowley and Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon, accompanied by over 20 cabinet ministers and parliamentary members, joined Chinese Ambassador Fang Qiu in a launch ceremony.

"The industrial estate is a symbol of the strong and flourishing relationship between the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and China," Rowley said.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the prime minister said, "Ours is a relationship that has grown stronger and deeper over the years, and one that will continue to reap tangible benefits for the next 50 years and beyond."

Addressing the ceremony, Fang said, "The estate has become another strategic milestone in the history of our bilateral relations."

"I have no doubt that, with concerted efforts generated by our partnership, the estate will arise to success and make remarkable contributions to the industrial transformation and upgrading of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as to our traditional friendship," he added.

The industrial estate covers an area of about 580,000 square meters and stands out as the Caribbean's first comprehensive and intelligent industrial park with 5G network coverage.

The estate is located in Point Lisas, the second-largest port in the country, and is envisioned as a high-value-added light industrial park with a focus on environmental protection, which aligns with the country's commitment to reducing long-term dependence on oil and gas resources while actively promoting economic diversification and transformation. 

This photo taken on Jan. 10, 2024 shows buildings inside the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Point Lisas, the second-largest port in Trinidad and Tobago. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the Caribbean country. (Xinhua/Zhu Wanjun)

Chinese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Fang Qiu addresses the launch ceremony of the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Point Lisas, the second-largest port in Trinidad and Tobago, Jan. 10, 2024. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the Caribbean country. (Xinhua/Zhu Wanjun)

Chinese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Fang Qiu addresses the launch ceremony of the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Point Lisas, the second-largest port in Trinidad and Tobago, Jan. 10, 2024. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the Caribbean country. (Xinhua/Zhu Wanjun)

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Keith Rowley (4th L, front), Foreign Minister Amery Browne (2nd L, front), Minister of Trade and Industry Paula Gopee-Scoon (3rd L, front), Chinese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Fang Qiu (1st L, front) and other officials attend the launch ceremony of the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Point Lisas, the second-largest port in Trinidad and Tobago, Jan. 10, 2024. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the Caribbean country. (Xinhua/Zhu Wanjun)

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Keith Rowley addresses the launch ceremony of the Phoenix Park Industrial Estate in Point Lisas, the second-largest port in Trinidad and Tobago, Jan. 10, 2024. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the Caribbean country. (Xinhua/Zhu Wanjun)