Feature: Diverse projects reflect deep China-Dominica friendship

by Xinhua writers Jiang Biao, Du Yanqin

ROSEAU, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Located in the northeastern Windward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Dominica lies far from China. Yet, the long distance has not hindered their friendship which has continued to flourish and bear gratifying results through a range of joint projects.

"Dominica is an agricultural country, but we found that local crop varieties were limited, and modern agricultural techniques were lacking. Together with the Dominican Ministry of Agriculture, we proposed establishing a modern agricultural demonstration center to introduce improved varieties and modern farming methods," said Sun Haojie, head of the Chinese Agricultural Technical Mission in Dominica, who first arrived on the island in 2005 with a team of Chinese agricultural experts and has since made this island his second home.

Despite language barriers and repeated hurricane damage, the Dominica-China Modern Agricultural Centre now stands as a landmark of bilateral cooperation. The center features 12 greenhouses, one smart greenhouse, a tissue culture lab and two hydroponic systems. It cultivates lettuce, yearlong beans, dragon fruit and Hami melon, serving as Dominica's largest seedling base, technology exchange hub and demonstration park.

"Many products that used to rely on imports can now be produced locally," Sun said with a smile. "Farmers have learned new techniques and stabilized their incomes."

Over the past two decades, eight groups of Chinese agricultural experts have trained local farmers in seedling propagation, greenhouse cultivation and biological pest control, helping transform Dominica's agriculture from experience-based to technology-driven.

In November 2023, when Dominica celebrated the 45th anniversary of its independence, President Sylvanie Burton personally awarded Sun -- called by local farmers affectionately as "the most popular man in Dominica" -- with the Meritorious Service Award, one of the country's highest national honors.

Beyond agriculture, the China Medical Team has also become a vivid symbol of cooperation between the two countries. Dominica has long faced a shortage of medical professionals and modern equipment. Since 2009, China has sent ten batches of medical teams to the island, offering training for local doctors and high-quality medical services to residents.

This year, the team performed Dominica's first laparoscopic ureteroplasty, first combined trabeculectomy for glaucoma, and first multi-point nerve block anesthesia on a 96-year-old patient, marking a series of medical breakthroughs in the country.

In September, the team also launched Dominica's first laparoscopic surgery training at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital. The two-hour session ran overtime as local doctors eagerly participated. "Mastering minimally invasive techniques will allow us to treat more patients in new ways," one local doctor said excitedly.

Almost everyone in Dominica knows the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital. Formerly known as the Princess Margaret Hospital, it was officially renamed in September 2019 by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit to express gratitude to the Chinese government and people.

Today, the hospital stands as a living symbol of the enduring friendship between the two nations. Many locals told Xinhua reporters that Chinese doctors have brought them not only health, but also hope.

Not far from the hospital, the construction site of Goodwill Secondary School, built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, is bustling with activity. It is one of the six schools under the China-Aid Project of Schools Reconstruction after Hurricane in the Commonwealth of Dominica. Once completed, the project will significantly improve Dominica's educational facilities and lay a solid foundation for future development.

At the site, Dominican worker Philbert Williams pointed proudly to the rising structure. "I live nearby, and our old school was destroyed by Hurricane Maria," he said. "This new school is being built on the original site. So being part of its construction means a lot to me. After the school's completion, I still want to continue working there, maybe as a maintenance man."

"After this school is completed, many children will tell their mothers, 'Mummy, I want to go to this school,'" he said.

In a recent interview, President Burton recalled that when Hurricane Maria struck in 2017, causing damage equivalent to 226 percent of Dominica's GDP, China came to the rescue just six or eight hours after the storm. Before that, China had supported the construction of key facilities in Dominica, including a stadium.

"Our relationship with China has been a very mutual relationship," Burton said with a warm smile. "We are very good friends with China -- and we hope that we can keep it that way." ■