On November 22, the Chinese Embassy in Suriname held a large-scale “Touch China” event in Paramaribo. More than 200 guests—including President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, several cabinet ministers, members of parliament, diplomats from various countries, representatives of Chinese enterprises, and members of the Chinese community—attended the opening ceremony.
In his remarks, Ambassador Lin Ji stated that the event aims to showcase an open and inclusive, modern and innovative China. He noted that during China’s “15th Five-Year Plan” period, the country will continue to expand its level of openness and promote high-quality development, bringing new development opportunities to countries around the world, including Suriname. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of China–Suriname diplomatic relations. China is ready to take this occasion as an opportunity to work with Suriname to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level and achieve shared development and prosperity.
President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons highly commended the remarkable achievements of Chinese-style modernization, praising China’s extraordinary ingenuity in high-tech innovation, green development, and poverty reduction, which has provided valuable inspiration for the vast number of developing countries. She expressed her willingness to further deepen Suriname–China friendship and cooperation, and to draw on China’s development experience to support Suriname’s national progress.
After the opening ceremony, Ambassador Lin accompanied President Simons on a tour of the exhibition. The exhibition area on Chinese-style modernization featured AI products such as DeepSeek and Doubao, as well as the iFlytek instant translator, Huawei smart call watch, smart glasses, smart rings, photo printers, and other cutting-edge electronic devices. Models of major national equipment—including the C919 large passenger aircraft, the Tiangong Space Station, and the Offshore Oil Rig 981—were also displayed. President Simons listened with great interest to briefings on China’s major scientific and technological achievements, showing strong curiosity about China’s advanced manufacturing and independent technologies. She tried on a smart watch and interacted with a chess-playing robot.
In the traditional culture section, President Simons remarked on the deep cultural affinity between Suriname and China. She invited Ambassador Lin to take a photo together while holding a calligraphy piece reading “Long Live the Friendship between China and Suriname,” （中苏友谊长存）creating a memorable moment in the history of bilateral friendship. President Simons also listened to Chinese enterprises introduce their products and technology, received briefings on China–Suriname cooperation projects, and carefully viewed high-quality fruits and vegetables cultivated by the China-assisted agricultural center. She affirmed that practical cooperation between the two countries has made important contributions to Suriname’s socioeconomic development. Guests praised the event for vividly presenting China’s achievements in high-quality development and high-level opening-up.
The event attracted more than one thousand visitors from all walks of life. The lively Labubu dance energized the atmosphere, while interactive experiences such as Peking Opera folding fans, Hanfu costumes, and calligraphy were warmly received by participants. Exhibition booths showcasing China’s latest technological products were especially crowded.
The Presidential Press Bureau, Dagblad de Ware Tijd, Star Network, Sun Network, and other major media outlets reported on-site, and more than two thousand viewers watched the livestream. The event was hosted by the Confucius Institute at Anton de Kom University of Suriname, with support from the Suriname Chinese Enterprise Chamber of Commerce.