China and the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago are stepping up trade cooperation. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Keith Rowley signed an array of agreements in Beijing, including a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road initiative, cooperation on Human Resources, and medicine and health. CGTN's Li Jianhua was at the Great Hall of the People and filed the report.

China and Trinidad and Tobago "joining hands" again.

Cooperation on trade, human resources and healthcare were high on agenda.

XU QINDUO, SENIOR FELLOW PANGOAL INSTITUTION "This country's investment environment is one of the best, the top in this region. So for the Chinese multinational companies, they can use this country somehow as a foothold, and have their headquarters in the Trinidad and Tobago and then you can spread your investment and your business operation to other countries in this region."

China is expanding its investments in Caribbean and Latin American countries with trade volume surpassing 250 billion US dollars last year.

At a meeting between China and the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States in January, the Chinese Foreign Minister vowed to further promote market integration in the region.

WANG YI CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER "We are going to work together to promote market integration. Both parties will work to facilitate trade and investments to meet the demands of nearly two billion people in China and Latin American countries. China has decided to hold the China Import Expo and open up its market to the world. I hope Latin American countries would join us."

But concerns are cropping up about China's increasing influence in the region. Some say "it's detrimental to the independence of the region". But some experts disagree.

XU QINDUO, SENIOR FELLOW PANGOAL INSTITUTION "If you look at the country's foreign policy in this region, it's mostly about trade and investment. It's mutually beneficial, but China does want to help countries like T and T to improve themselves - for example, to diversify its exports to China - China invites its trading partners to China's trade fair and expo to demonstrate their products."

LI JIANHUA BEIJING "When Chinese President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he made the first landing in Trinidad and Tobago - becoming the first Chinese head of state to visit the Caribbean. And ever since then, China has been expanding its presence in Latin America and the Caribbean. LJH, CGTN, BJ."