Port of Spain, Jun 1 (IANS): Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Port of Spain Friday to start a state visit to Trinidad and Tobago aimed at expanding friendly cooperation between China and the Caribbean nation.

During his three-day trip, Xi, the first Chinese president to visit the Caribbean country since the two nations established diplomatic ties in 1974, will meet President Anthony Carmona and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to discuss how to expand bilateral cooperation, reported Xinhua.

The two countries are also expected to sign a number of cooperative documents covering economy, trade and education.

Xi will also hold bilateral meetings in Port of Spain with the leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Surinam and Jamaica, all of which have diplomatic ties with China.

Trinidad and Tobago is an important cooperative partner of China in the English-speaking Caribbean region.

The two countries have expanded cooperation in the political, economic, trade and cultural sectors in recent years.

Two-way trade reached $449 million in 2012.

From Port of Spain, the Chinese president will travel to Costa Rica and Mexico for state visits.