THE Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Councillor of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Wang Yi, arrived in Guyana on Friday for a two-day visit.

This visit comes at a time when relations between this Asian giant and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana are in a healthy and productive state. It is one of Guyana’s most important bilateral relationships.

Having established diplomatic relations some 46 years ago, and having cooperated in numerous international fora on matters of mutual interest, these political relations have broadened into significant economic areas. Moreover, these political and economic relations are underpinned by a greater understanding of each other’s societies and peoples.
The people of Guyana now have a better understanding of the pivotal importance of China’s role in global, political and economic affairs and the efforts being made by the Communist Party of China to build a prosperous and equal society. On the other hand, because of increased people-to-people contact, the exchange of visits of high-level officials, cooperation among relevant organisations, and significant bilateral exchanges, the Government and the people of China have a better grasp of the efforts being made by the Guyanese people to build a prosperous society on an environmentally sustainable basis.
The two countries have signed numerous agreements in important areas: medicine, education, culture, trade, technology, tourism, and defence, to name a few. Of these, it would be necessary to single out the policy of the five IT strategies and the Belt & Road Initiative. Both programmes are calculated to create the conditions for Guyana to improve its physical and technological infrastructure. A few examples would suffice.

China has committed itself to funding the Lethem to Linden road, the Demerara Harbour Bridge, and the deep-water harbour. These are to be undertaken on terms which are acceptable and beneficial to both governments. The building of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport are a guarantee that the aforementioned projects will be undertaken with efficiency and competence.

Over the next two days, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his delegation will be holding talks with President Granger and Vice-President and Foreign Minister, Mr. Carl Greenidge.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Vice-President Greenidge and Mr. Wang will sign two agreements on behalf of their respective governments. The agreements to be signed are the “Framework Agreement Provision of a Concessional Loan between the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Government of the People’s Republic of China” and “The Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the two countries. Simultaneously, a hand-over ceremony will be held to mark China’s contribution to support the hosting by the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana of the 17th Session of the Committee for the Review and Implementation of the Convention (CRIC 17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), scheduled to take place early next year in Georgetown.

While we are not privy to what further bilateral exchanges are to be undertaken, we are confident that the foreign minister’s visit will lead to further improvement in the bilateral relations between the two states. The auguries are good.