Li pledges aid to Caribbean nation

Premier Li Keqiang and his Antigua and Barbuda counterpart, Gaston Browne, vowed to seek more common ground in economic cooperation and broader mutual support on international affairs.

Li and Browne met for an hour in Beijing on Tuesday and agreed to expand cooperation in clean energy, agriculture, tourism, education and healthcare. Li said China will also help in the construction of highways, airports and ports in the Caribbean country.

Li said China has also agreed to provide financial aid, goods and no-interest loans to Antigua and Barbuda. The country's economy has been struggling since the 2008 financial crisis and is $1 billion in debt, which is roughly equivalent to its annual GDP.