Sacha Waters, Staff Reporter

Hanging out with the Chinese can be so much fun. Just look at (from left) Kay Osborne, Fay Pickersgill, Hubie Chin and his wife, Jean Lowrie-Chin.

With the Olympic fever still lingering, Jamaicans were given the opportunity to celebrate with the Chinese, like they have with us.

The occasion was a cocktail reception to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

Chinese Ambassador Chen Jinghua missed the proceedings as he was back home on leave, but Charge' d'Affaires Liu Kan brought greetings on his behalf.

He noted that while China's 5,000-year history has had its ups and downs, they have made significant strides. They gained complete independence on October 1, 1949, when the People's Republic of China was born.

Splendid Chinese civilisation

"The industrious and talented Chinese people have created the splendid Chinese civilisation and contributed significantly to the progress of human development," said Liu Kan.

Jamaica's strong bond with our Asian counterpart was not only evident through the turnout from the Chinese community and the business community. It was also highlighted by Senator Dr Ronald Robinson, minister of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

"As far as our trade relations are concerned, Jamaica is China's largest trading partner in the English-speaking Caribbean region and is the only CARICOM country that enjoys a positive trade balance with China," Robinson noted.

And, of course, we could not mention our dear friends and not congratulate them on hosting the spectacular Olympic Games celebrations.

"China's splendid performance in successfully hosting the games, so soon after the devastating earthquake that struck Sichuan province in May, is a reflection of the strong spirit and extraordinary capacity of the Chinese people to handle difficult challenges and to overcome adversity," he said.

The opening ceremony of the Olympic games was projected in the background while guests mingled and feasted on Chinese cuisine.

Guests included Speaker of the House Delroy Chuck, Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton, Dr Barbara Munske, British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell, Mexican Ambassador Leonora Rueda, Minister of Transport and Works Mike Henry and his wife, Dawn, Aleen Bailey, Chilean Ambassador Alfredo Garcia and Marcia Forbes.

Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton (left) greets charge d'affaires in the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, Liu Kan, at the Chinese national day reception, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Major General Stewart Saunders (left), chief of defence staff of the Jamaica Defence Force, makes a serious point to Dr Christopher Tufton, minister of agriculture.

Newly appointed French ambassador, Marc-Olivier Gendry, chats with Marie-José Nzengou-Tayo of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at the UWI, Mona, at the reception.