China is willing to undertake more projects aimed at improving living conditions in Antigua and Barbuda, Ambassador Jiang Wei said Thursday during the handover ceremony for the Pelican Court housing development.
Jiang said China wanted to build on the countries’ existing cooperation through further initiatives focused on public welfare, while helping Antigua and Barbuda strengthen its capacity for sustained development.
She described the 150-unit housing project as a gift to the people of Antigua and Barbuda ahead of the country’s 45th anniversary of independence.
The EC$50 million development, financed through a Chinese grant, comprises 150 two-bedroom homes in the Point community and forms part of the redevelopment of Booby Alley.
Jiang said housing was an essential aspect of people’s well-being and a secure home provided the foundation for a better life. The homes being handed over, she said, responded to residents’ expectations for improved living conditions.
Although China and Antigua and Barbuda have different national circumstances, she said, their people share aspirations for better lives.
The ambassador linked the development to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, saying that vision reflected the hope that people across the world could enjoy happy and fulfilling lives.
Turning to construction, Jiang said the Chinese team combined Chinese building standards with the practical needs of the local community.
She said the team overcame transportation and weather challenges and incorporated modern Chinese technology and facilities into the development. Those efforts were intended to ensure the project delivered both quality housing and practical improvements in residents’ daily lives.
Jiang presented Pelican Court as another result of a development partnership that has supported several areas of Antigua and Barbuda’s economy and public services.
She cited cooperation involving ports, airport infrastructure, a cricket stadium and community facilities, alongside agricultural technology and human resource development.
China’s assistance, she said, also included training and professional development opportunities designed to build local skills.
The ambassador stressed that the partnership extended beyond constructing infrastructure. Through knowledge sharing and skills development, China was also seeking to help Antigua and Barbuda strengthen its ability to sustain its own progress.
She said China’s approach to cooperation had been guided by equality and good faith, and expressed a willingness to deepen bilateral relations through additional projects benefiting the public.
Jiang concluded by wishing happiness to the families who will occupy the new homes, prosperity for Antigua and Barbuda and an enduring friendship between the two countries.
Antigua Newsroom
