Dominica signs visa-waiver agreement with China

An agreement has been signed between the Commonwealth of Dominica and the People’s Republic of China, which will permit visa-free travel between the two nations. This visa-waiver agreement was signed on Monday, which came into immediate effect.

The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and Chinese Ambassador to Dominica Lin Xianjiang.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit informed about the agreement via his social media post and wrote, “The agreement marks a significant milestone in our friendship with China and will deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations”.

“We thank the People’s Republic of China for its friendship, cooperation and trust over the years, and we reaffirm our commitment to the One China Policy”.

PM Skerrit also officially welcomed H.E Lin Xianjiang, who presented his credentials to the President – H.E Charles A Savarin, on Monday and wished him good luck as he begins his duties on the island.

Bilateral ties between Dominica and China:

Dominica and China share a very robust friendship. China earlier has also assisted the island during the tough times of the COVID-19 outbreak by providing COVID-19 testing kits, other medical supplies and vaccines.

In addition, numerous state scholarships and human resources training programs are being provided by China to Dominica. China has invested a lot in the health sector of Dominica, strengthening its long-standing friendship.

In the previous month, China donated an MRI machine to the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital in Roseau. Dominica became the first country in the Caribbean region to have it at a public hospital.

The Dominica-China friendship hospital is also an instance of the strong bilateral relationship which both countries have.

During the visa-waiver ceremony, the prime minister expressed his gratitude and appreciated the efforts of China. He thanked them for continuous support in various sectors.

What is Visa – Waiver:

The Visa Waiver Program – (VWP) allows most citizens or nationals of engaging nations to travel to their countries for tourism/business for a specific time period without obtaining a prior visa.