MINISTER of State Joseph Harmon has called on Chinese nationals living here to invest in the manufacturing sector, particularly in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) since they had originally settled there in 1853.

The Chinese, like East Indians and Portuguese, were brought to Guyana as indentured labourers to work on the plantations back then. “In 1853 the first Chinese came to Guyana and a few months ago we celebrated the anniversary of the their arrival…since they came they settled in communities such as Windsor Forest and so forth on the West Coast of Demerara,” said Harmon at the launch of the Region Three Regional Agricultural and Commercial Exhibition (RACE) last Saturday evening.

The minister challenged them to invest in the region, since they have been there for over a century and have now become part of the fabric of the country. Over the years, Chinese have made their presence known in the commercial sector, particularly with supermarkets and restaurants but, Harmon said they should look at building factories instead.

“You must also invest in the agriculture sector and build factories in the region; we have good examples of Chinese businesses that have done so around the world,” he said. They were encouraged to take on the minister’s challenge and demonstrate that they have integrated themselves into the fabric of the country. “I am looking forward to Chinese investors investing and manufacturing in this region,” Harmon stated.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had recently said that Guyana remains open to Chinese investment in key sectors. He noted that Guyana has observed with interest, China’s transformation into a global superpower and economic giant. The prime minister mentioned that China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) lays a solid foundation for the elimination of poverty and to ensure the prosperity of China’s huge population. The Financial Times had reported that China’s outbound investment will soon surpass the amount invested inside the country, marking a new step in the rise of this new economic power. “This is just a matter of time; if it doesn’t happen this year then it will happen in the very near future,” said Zhang Xiangchen, China’s assistant minister of commerce.

Not only China is on the verge of becoming a net exporter of capital, and according to the Financial Times, it has already overtaken its Western counterparts as a primary source of credit for the developing world.