Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has pledged to deepen cooperation between the Commonwealth of Dominica and the People's Republic of China, saying he hopes the two countries will continue to strengthen their bilateral relationship in the period ahead.
The Prime Minister made the remarks at a reception held at the Chinese Embassy in Morne Daniel, where he looked ahead to the future of the partnership between Roseau and Beijing.
Dominica and China have maintained diplomatic relations since 2004, when the island switched recognition to Beijing. Since then, the relationship has produced a series of high-profile projects across the island, including the Windsor Park Sports Stadium, the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital at Goodwill, and the new airport terminal at Douglas-Charles Airport in Melville Hall.
Successive budgets have also carried Chinese grant funding and concessional loans, and Dominican students have benefited from scholarships to study in China under bilateral programmes.
The Prime Minister's comments signal continuity rather than any change of direction in foreign policy. Dominica is a member of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the Caribbean Community, and like several of its regional neighbours it maintains full diplomatic ties with Beijing.
China's embassy in Morne Daniel has been an active presence in the island's public life, hosting cultural events, donating equipment to schools and community groups, and supporting recovery efforts after major storms.
For Dominica, the relationship has been framed around infrastructure, health, education and agriculture, sectors where Chinese assistance has been most visible. The government has consistently described the partnership as one built on mutual respect and South-South cooperation.
No new agreements were announced at the reception, and the Prime Minister's remarks were forward-looking, setting out an intention to build on existing cooperation rather than unveiling fresh commitments.
The pledge comes as Dominica continues to pursue its goal of becoming the world's first climate-resilient nation, a programme that depends heavily on external financing and technical support. China has been among the partners the government has courted for that effort.
Dominica's diplomatic alignment with Beijing has been a settled feature of its foreign policy for nearly two decades, and the Prime Minister's statement at the embassy reception reaffirms that the government sees the relationship as one worth expanding.
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