September 15, 2026
China wants to further strengthen its relationship with Curaçao and the wider Dutch Caribbean, with increased cooperation, exchanges and opportunities in areas including technology and artificial intelligence, Chinese Consul-General Zhang Kaibin said during a reception marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
The reception was held Monday evening at the Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort’s Rif venue in Curaçao, bringing together invited guests and representatives of the local community for the anniversary celebration.
Consul General Zhang
Addressing those present, Zhang emphasized both China’s economic and technological development and the longstanding relationship between China and the Dutch Caribbean.
“Though separated by vast oceans, China and the Dutch Caribbean region maintain close exchanges,” Zhang said. He pledged that China would continue strengthening friendly relations and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with the region.
The Consul-General also encouraged more people from Curaçao and elsewhere in the Dutch Caribbean to visit China, saying such exchanges could provide a more complete understanding of the country and its development.
A significant part of Zhang’s address focused on China’s economic transformation over the 77 years since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
According to the Consul-General, China has followed a development path adapted to its national circumstances and achieved high levels of industrialization within several decades. He argued that the transformation has not only changed Chinese society but also created economic and development opportunities internationally.
Zhang said China’s economy continues to demonstrate strong momentum as the country begins its 15th Five-Year Plan. He stated that Chinese gross domestic product reached approximately US$10 trillion during the first half of 2026, representing year-on-year growth of 4.7 percent.
Technology featured prominently in the speech. Zhang pointed to developments in artificial intelligence, renewable and new-energy industries, humanoid robotics and quantum technology as examples of sectors in which China is seeking to combine scientific research with emerging industries.
He also referred to the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance held in Shanghai in July.
According to Zhang, China supports a people-centered approach to artificial intelligence and wants the technology to contribute to shared prosperity and security. He said China also advocates an international AI governance system that it considers fair and equitable.
For the Caribbean, Zhang’s remarks included a specific commitment. He said China intends to provide tangible support to developing countries, including Caribbean nations, through facilities and equipment, the exchange of experience and personnel training.
Such cooperation could create additional opportunities for Caribbean countries seeking to develop technological capacity while navigating the rapid global expansion of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
The Consul-General also devoted part of his address to the Communist Party of China, which marks its 105th anniversary this year. He credited the party’s leadership with China’s economic development and social stability and said it would continue leading the country toward its long-term development objectives.
Turning to international affairs, Zhang described the world as undergoing profound changes and said China intends to continue promoting what it characterizes as peace, development, cooperation and mutually beneficial relations.
He highlighted China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Governance Initiative as elements of Beijing’s international approach.
Zhang said China wants to work with countries and partners internationally to address common global challenges and contribute to peace and development.
For Curaçao, however, one of the most locally significant parts of the speech concerned the Chinese community that has established itself throughout the Dutch Caribbean.
Zhang praised generations of Chinese residents for building their lives in the region, supporting one another and contributing to their communities.
“For a long time, the local Chinese community in Dutch Caribbean has taken root, supported one another, and strived for self-improvement,” the Consul-General said.
He credited the community with playing an important role in maintaining and strengthening relations between China and the Dutch Caribbean and expressed his gratitude for that contribution.
The Chinese community has had a longstanding presence in Curaçao and forms an important bridge in the relationship that the Consulate-General seeks to deepen through cultural, economic and people-to-people exchanges.
Zhang’s remarks indicate that future engagement is expected to extend beyond traditional diplomatic and cultural relations, with technology, training, economic development and knowledge exchange increasingly becoming part of China’s outreach to the Caribbean.
The Consul-General closed the anniversary celebration by expressing his wish for continued prosperity and well-being for the Chinese people and for lasting relations between China and the islands.
“May the friendship between China and the Dutch Caribbean endure for all time,” Zhang said.