On July 18, a high-profile diplomatic meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Vince Henderson, Dominica’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, took place in Shanghai, marking a new step forward in the longstanding cooperative partnership between the two nations. The talks came as Henderson traveled to China to participate in the 2026 World AI Conference, a global gathering focused on shaping the future of responsible artificial intelligence development.
During the meeting, both leaders reaffirmed the deep-rooted mutual trust between China and Dominica, with Wang noting that Dominica has long stood as a reliable friend and partner to China in the Caribbean region. Wang specifically commended Dominica’s consistent and unwavering support for the one-China principle, a foundational pillar of bilateral relations between the two countries.
A core focus of the discussion centered on inclusive global development of artificial intelligence. Wang emphasized that China is committed to steering AI innovation toward inclusive growth that delivers shared benefits to all nations, rather than exacerbating global inequality by creating a new “intelligence divide” between developed and developing economies. He stressed that every country, regardless of its geographic size or economic scale, deserves an equal opportunity to access cutting-edge technological progress and leverage it for sustainable economic development.
To advance this inclusive vision, Wang outlined China’s readiness to deepen collaboration with developing nations including Dominica through the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO). This partnership will prioritize supporting the Global South in building AI capacity and advancing the global governance of AI toward a framework that is both responsible and inclusive. Wang also noted that China stands ready to deepen overall bilateral cooperation by aligning national development strategies and expanding mutually beneficial partnerships across multiple sectors.
For his part, Henderson expressed great honor in representing Caribbean nations at the 2026 World AI Conference, and reaffirmed Dominica’s full support for China’s efforts to position artificial intelligence as a fair, accessible international public good through collaborative frameworks with the United Nations. Henderson also re-stated Dominica’s firm commitment to upholding the one-China principle, and extended sincere gratitude to China for its decades-long support that has driven Dominica’s economic and social progress. He specifically highlighted China’s critical assistance in helping the small island nation address pressing climate change challenges, a top priority for vulnerable Caribbean states.
Looking ahead, Henderson said Dominica is eager to expand bilateral cooperation across a diverse range of sectors as both countries work to strengthen their decades-long friendly partnership, building on shared values of mutual respect and equal development.