GEORGETOWN (June 9, 2017 – Guyana and China, last Thursday, celebrated 45 years of friendship with a “China and Guyana: 45 years of friendship” seminar to commemorate the event.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who was performing the duties of President, delivered the keynote address at the Embassy of the Republic of China. Prime Minister Nagamootoo commended Ambassador Cui Jianchun for his initiative in organising a seminar for the occasion.

The prime minister related that this event would promote the exchange of ideas and the sharing of views on how to improve the relationship between Guyana and China. He noted that the Five-point ‘IT’ initiative presented by Ambassador Jianchun, “has registered a new policy of China to reach out to countries such as Guyana.”
“Guyana committed itself to the One China Policy… it was an attempt to forge a lasting relationship,” the prime minister further explained, noting too that Guyana had always chosen its friends strategically.

Ideas, Prime Minister Nagamootoo highlighted, were important to transform our country and “so today we celebrate that China has reached out to Guyana.” He thanked the Government of China through Ambassador Jianchun for allowing Guyanese from all disciplines to study in China, especially our journalists and our policemen and women.
“We have benefited tremendously from 45 years of friendship”, Prime Minister Nagamootoo said.

Relations between China and Guyana date back to 1853, when the first batch of indentured Chinese labourers arrived. Formal diplomatic ties between the two republics were established on June 27, 1972. Guyana was the first English-speaking Caribbean country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China on June 27, 1972.
China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, during his remarks gave an overview of the 45 years of friendship between China and Guyana and urged persons to share their experiences over the last 45 years, so that the younger generation would be able to learn about the countries’ relationship.

Ambassador Jianchun explained that China still has a lot of challenges facing it and has faced many before reaching their present Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 11 Trillion USD.
Also attending the seminar were former President Samuel Hinds, former Foreign Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, former Ambassadors of Guyana, members of the private sector and members of the local Chinese community