Editor's Note: Suriname, a scenic country situated on the northern coast of South America, boasts the largest concentration of overseas Chinese living in the Caribbean. In 2023, the country celebrated the 170th anniversary of Chinese settlement in the country. It is also the first in the Western Hemisphere to designate the Chinese Spring Festival as an official national holiday. As this year marks the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the strategic cooperative partnership between China and Suriname, how can Suriname reap the rewards of its deepening ties with China? In this edition of Leaders Talk, CMG's Wang Guan sat down with Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname, during his state visit to China from April 11 to 17, to discuss Suriname's willingness to work with China to further strengthen economic and trade cooperation, and promote the building of a closer strategic partnership between the two countries. He praises the global initiatives proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. And looking at China's prominent role in global affairs, Santokhi is adamant: "Whether you like it or not, [China] will be called for taking responsibility as a new leader of emerging countries," he tells Wang Guan.