China has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Barbados on jointly building the Belt and Road cooperation, according to a statement published on the NDRC website on February 21.

He Lifeng, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and Jerome Walcott, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade of Barbados on February 21, 2019. 

He Lifeng, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and Jerome Walcott, minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade of Barbados, held talks in Beijing, and the two sides exchanged views on jointly building Belt and Road cooperation between China and Barbados.

After the meeting, the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Jointly Promoting the Construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.

A number of other CARICOM countries have already signed similar memorandums, including Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname.