The Editor, Sir:

I am pleased to learn that Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is making serious inroads in establishing the framework for increasing the number of Chinese visitors to Jamaica.

As reported, agreements have been made to increase airlift so as to make it easier for more Chinese nationals to visit Jamaica and be exposed to our rich culture. I welcome this move.

I visited Beijing in February and, for the first time that I have ever travelled to another country or interfaced with a non-Jamaican, most of the Chinese there seemingly had no awareness of Jamaica. The Chinese, whom I found generally warm and friendly, would ask me, during my movements there, where I was from, and when I proudly said Jamaica, only about two persons knew of Jamaica.

Help to expose

Normally, whenever I am asked by a foreigner where I am from, I cannot wait to proudly say Jamaica, and they, more often than not, know to where I am referring. In the few instances when the person is surprisingly not aware of Jamaica, they would immediately become aware once I say Bob Marley's country.

Certainly, this was not my experience in Beijing. Perhaps my arrogance leads me to expect that everyone everywhere should know of Jamaica.

With the Beijing Olympics taking place this summer, I am confident that our athletes, with their expected outstanding performance, will help to further expose or bring greater awareness of Jamaica to the Chinese.

The tourism ministry should consider an athletes' village, or something akin to what was done for the Reggae Boyz during their participation in the World Cup Football Finals in France in 1998, to further market Jamaica to the Chinese and, by extension, the larger world. Certainly, this exposure could go a long way in marketing Jamaica.

Trade council

Additionally, with the increasing economic importance of China to the new world order, it is imperative that the foreign ministry, or the government, consider the establishment of a trade council in China to help secure greater trade links. Our embassy in China should also take on a greater and more proactive role, along those lines, to link Jamaica with China.

With the expected visit of Prime Minister Bruce Golding to China later this year, perhaps we will be hearing of an initiative for greater cooperation with China. It is in our national interest to do so.

I am, etc.,

KEVIN K.O. SANGSTER

sangstek@msn.com

New Jersey

Via Go-Jamaica