Amba
Full name: Antigua and Barbuda
Coordinates: 17°~17°40′ N, 61°39′~61°54′ West
Nickname: Hawksbill Turtle Island
Capital: St. John's
Territory area: 442.6 square kilometers (> Haidian District, Beijing)
Population size: 98,000 (2020)
Total GDP: $1.83 billion
Ethnic totem: tortoiseshell turtle
Antigua and Barbuda is located in the northern part of the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean Sea, bordering Guadeloupe to the south and Saint Kitts and Nevis to the west. It consists of the three islands of Antigua, Barbuda and Redonda.
Antigua and Barbuda is 12 hours apart from Chinese time, with China at six o'clock in the evening and Amba exactly six o'clock in the morning. The country's residents are mostly of black African descent, most of whom are Christian, and often pray in churches on Sundays and holidays. It is also the Eastern Caribbean country with the largest number of Chinese immigrants (31%).
Amba's historical ties with China
Antigua and Barbuda is known in China as "Amba".
Amba was ill-fated and gained independence from the British on 1 November 1981. On 1 January 1983, Antigua and Barbuda established diplomatic relations with China and received selfless assistance from China.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the friendly relations between the two countries have continued to develop. China has also actively assisted Anba and, in 2005, included it as a destination for Chinese citizens to travel abroad.
China has selflessly aided the construction of many buildings for Amba, such as the 10,000-seat cricket field, which is a symbol of Sino-Angolan friendship, as well as the multi-purpose exhibition center and st. John's Medical Center.
Although Amba is small, he is also grateful to Dade. In 2017, Hurricane Maria broke out in Dominica, leaving 400 overseas Chinese and employees of Chinese-funded enterprises stranded on the island. With the assistance of the Chinese Embassy in Angola and Pakistan, The Company dispatched ferries to rescue and properly resettle the Chinese refugees throughout the port of St. John.
Anba was one of the first Caribbean countries to recognize China's full market economy status. Since Anba joined the Belt and Road Initiative in June 2018, bilateral trade volume has been rising, the high-quality and inexpensive "Made in China" has increased the happiness of the people of Anba and Ba, and The lobster and rum produced by Ampat have also taken the opportunity of the first China International Import Expo in 2018 to make a wonderful appearance in China.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, China has been providing assistance to the economic development of Anba within its capacity. The new terminal of the Chinese-aided Vail Bird International Airport has greatly enhanced the passenger reception capacity of Anti-Ba, and its magnificent appearance has become a beautiful scenery in the Eastern Caribbean; the Vivian Richard Cricket Ground is not only the preferred venue for local cricket events, but also an important venue for the anti-Pakistan government to hold large-scale celebrations. The construction of popular projects such as the St. John's Port Project highlights China's concept of responsibility. The deepening pragmatic cooperation and mutual benefit and win-win results between China and Angola have also made the Anba people feel good about China.
After the onslaught of the Great Depression in tourism that began in 2000 and the financial crisis of 2008, Amba began to strengthen its functional economic sectors. In September 2015, under the planning and investment of Chinese enterprises, Anba officially established the Anba Special Economic Zone and the China-Angola International Free Trade Zone, which implemented permanent tax exemption in the special economic zone, becoming the only international special economic zone in the East Caribbean, which greatly optimized the international financing capacity and business environment of Anba and Pakistan.
China's reputation in The Country is very high, and the People of Anba welcome the arrival of Chinese. On October 22, 2018, the Chinese Navy peace ark hospital ship arrived at St. John's Port and began an eight-day friendly visit to Amba. Governor Anba and his wife were greeted at the pier and a grand welcoming ceremony was held, and local residents performed a traditional ceremony to welcome the arrival of the Chinese Peace Ark.
Chinese art groups have also visited Amba many times, using exquisite art to show the local people the profound Chinese culture. The anba people praised this and were full of closeness and yearning for China.
According to statistics, in 2018-2019, the number of Amba short-term training personnel in China exceeded 300, and the number of students studying in China remained at about 15 per year. This kind of closer people-to-people exchanges and people-to-people affinity have also made the relations between China and Angola more solid and stable.
In the summer of 2021, the outbreak of the new crown epidemic in Antigua Island, China rushed to donate a large number of new crown vaccines to Angola and Pakistan. The vaccine arrived at St. John Wilder International Airport, the capital of Antiba and Pakistan, and was personally picked up by Prime Minister Brown of Anba and Barbuda, Foreign Minister Green, and Minister of Health Joseph.
Anba Prime Minister Brown expressed his gratitude to China on the spot, pointing out that China has always been at the forefront of helping and supporting developing countries, especially at a time when some countries are still hoarding vaccines, and China's generous assistance is even more precious. Anba will firmly develop its relations with China and continuously deepen cooperation.
"Knowing each other is far and near, and we are still neighbors." Although China and Ba ba are far apart, the vast Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea are connected, and the hearts of the two peoples are also connected.
An unpretentious and romantic "Caribbean gem"
Amba has a tropical climate with an average annual temperature of 27°C. The average annual precipitation is about 1020 mm. The sky is blue, the earth is verdant, the beaches are white and the waters are clear. The small two-storey buildings of St. John's in the capital are lined up along the streets and are orderly. There was no loud noise in the streets, cars did not honk or rush, and brightly dressed black women walked leisurely among them.
Amba is known as the "Diamond of the Caribbean". It is made up of three islands, Antigua, Barbuda and Redonda, with a meandering coastline and numerous bays and ports. Originally inhabited by the Arawak people of the Indians.
Located in the eastern arc of the Leeward Archipelago of the Lesser Antilles, it guards the gateway of the Atlantic Ocean to and from the Caribbean Sea. Historically, it has become an important geostrategic location for which Spain, France, Britain, and the United States have competed in turn.
However , due to the island 's dry climate and poor soil , only a small amount of limestone , clay , bluestone and barite are found. At one point, he was abandoned by Spain and France. But the British saw its strategic location, drove and slaughtered Indians in large numbers, and then sold black slaves from Africa and developed tobacco and sugar cane plantations.
But like Dominica, the descendants of the black slaves here were not at peace, and repeated anti-colonial uprisings forced the British to establish a naval base on the island in the 1780s to consolidate and expand British colonial rule over the Windward Islands. It was not until the 1960s, with the wave of national liberation in Asia, Africa and Latin America, that the British allowed Anti-Ba to achieve internal autonomy.
Under British colonial rule, Amba's situation was similar to that of Hong Kong, the appointment and dismissal of the governor was almost decided by the British nobles Kodlington family, the natives did not participate in the government for a long time, and the Amba people did not even have the basic rights of citizens. It was not until during the Cold War that Antigua and Pakistan negotiated with britain through the power of the United States that they were granted the right to establish an independent state in November 1981. The real great development of Anba and Pakistan is inseparable from China's selfless assistance.
In 1994, Amba began to emulate China's reform and opening up, and set up a free trade zone, due to preferential policies, attracted many companies to register, and established the first factory area, began to support the manufacturing industry, but the number of factories built on the ground.
However, due to the lack of supporting economic infrastructure and limited markets, the manufacturing industry is shrinking day by day, and almost all of the goods from small hardware to various electronic products, automobiles and other commodities are imported. The economy was once slow.
In the second half of the 1990s, Amba developed tourism with the island's excellent natural environment and various wildlife. Amba's beautiful environment and beautiful scenery appeal to North American and European tourists who yearn for tropical scenery, who use it as a back garden. According to statistics, Anba receives more than 250,000 tourists a year, and about 70% of tourists come from Europe and North America.
As tourism became the most important economic sector in Amba, offshore finance and online gambling also developed. The main island, Antigua, is known for its beaches, international rowing competitions and carnivals.
In order to create a high-end tourism industry in the country, Amba has turned 365 high-quality beaches into a holiday paradise for the world's richest people, and has made great efforts in terms of food, accommodation, play, entertainment and shopping. For example, Amba people are quite creative in making tortoiseshell tourist souvenirs, which are favored by tourists. Tortoiseshell turtle is the ethnic totem of Amba, the appearance is noble and elegant, the pattern is colorful and beautiful, it is a good material for making precious jewelry and sculpture jewelry, known as "haijin".
With the development of the island to eat, tourism and financial industry, Anba's economic strength once entered the world's 56th. Amba people also have a kind of "small wealth is peace" mentality, and began to live a relaxed and cheerful life. This lifestyle also gave birth to Calypso music characterized by strong rhythms and gentle vocals.
Amba is a simple country, without the domineering spirit of high-rise buildings, without the luxury of designer hotels, and even every road without a name. Minerals are scarce and the population is small. Such a social environment has also created a cheerful, warm, friendly and considerate side of Amba people. They live simply, are reasonable, and have very thoughtful manners.
Since the establishment of the Anba Special Economic Zone, due to the development of the financial industry, the superior tax system, and the absence of global taxes, personal income tax, capital gains tax, and inheritance tax, Anba has become a dark horse in global asset allocation and a gathering place for global political and business celebrities.
World gambling king James Parker, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, many aristocrats in Dubai also come here to invest in large-scale travel and vacation projects... Due to the loose business policy, in recent years, it has gradually become the cradle for Chinese enterprises to register offshore companies and thus curve listing. It is said that with an investment of 100,000 US dollars, a family of four can obtain an Amba passport.