WILLEMSTAD – During a special event hosted by Coca-Cola Curaçao to launch its new digital training program “Growing Together,” the Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Wang Fanfu, delivered a powerful speech celebrating the longstanding relationship between the local Chinese business community and Curaçao’s private sector.
The event brought together public officials, business leaders, and community organizations to present the training program, which aims to strengthen small businesses across the island. But it was Consul General Wang’s address that struck a deeper note, highlighting the values of mutual respect, dialogue, and cultural understanding as essential ingredients for both economic success and global peace.
“Although I haven’t known Mr. Andrew and his team for long, it already feels as though we are old friends,” Wang said, referring to Andrew Pinedo, Managing Director of Coca-Cola Curaçao. “We share a strong common bond—our connection to the local Chinese community.”
Wang described how, in his role as a diplomat, he provides support and protection to the Chinese diaspora in Curaçao. At the same time, Coca-Cola Curaçao, through its work with local supermarket and shop owners, has embraced the contributions of Chinese entrepreneurs as essential to the island’s diversity and economic landscape.
“I am even more pleased and proud—perhaps more than Mr. Andrew and his team expected—to witness the excellent cooperation between both sides over the years,” he stated. “This success is not only about profit, but about the spirit of mutual respect and cross-cultural communication that defines their business approach.”
A Global Message Rooted in Local Success
Wang went on to emphasize that this spirit of collaboration is exactly what today’s world needs—particularly in a time filled with uncertainty and division.
“The spirit of seeking mutual benefit on the basis of mutual respect and sincere dialogue paves the way to greater understanding and peace, rather than hostility and confrontation,” he said.
He connected this local cooperation to broader international efforts, such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which promotes global collaboration across five strategic areas, including economic development. Wang also referenced the United Nations’ recent declaration of June 10 as the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations, a resolution initiated by China and supported by 82 other countries.
“This day reflects the shared aspirations of the global community to advance dialogue and the progress of humanity,” he explained.
A Call for Continued Unity
In closing, Wang urged the community to maintain and expand the values that have underpinned the successful partnerships between local businesses and the Chinese community in Curaçao.
“Let us work together and do our best to keep this spirit alive with wider recognition,” he concluded. “I wish great success to tonight’s event and to even more fruitful cooperation between Mr. Andrew’s company and the local Chinese group.”
The event was not only a milestone for Coca-Cola Curaçao’s new training program but also a moment to reflect on how business, diplomacy, and community can come together to build something greater than themselves—rooted in respect, fueled by cooperation, and aimed at shared prosperity.
