Join hands with the Government and People of Guyana
Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana
Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana

–for the new development of China-Guyana relations

By Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana

HELLO, Guyanese friends! It was my great honour to be appointed as the new Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, and to present my Letter of Credence to H.E. Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, on October 29, 2021.

This is my first time working in the Latin America and Caribbean region. As the first female Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, I am proud of my mission, and fully aware of the weight of my responsibility.

Guyana is an important country in the Caribbean region, with a diversified culture, beautiful environment, and huge development opportunities and potential. With the rapid development of the oil-and-gas industry, Guyana has enjoyed robust economic and social development, and its people better lives.

The Guyanese Government has piloted the people of the nation to respond to any challenges, including COVID-19 and flooding, and boost economic recovery. People’s welfare and the country’s development performance are improving. Guyana has also been actively participating in regional and international affairs, and is playing an increasingly important role in upholding multilateralism, and promoting equal and friendly international relations. As H.E. President Ali said, this is the “finest era” of Guyana. I feel lucky to be witnessing Guyana’s national transformation.

China and Guyana have a long history of friendship. The bilateral relations are founded on the basis of the One-China Principle that the Guyanese Government has long been adhering to. In 1971, Guyana resolutely voted in favour of Resolution No.2758 in the United Nations (UN), and contributed to the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China in the UN. In 1972, Guyana took the lead in the English-speaking Caribbean to establish diplomatic ties with China. In the following 49 years, the political mutual trust between China and Guyana had been continuously deepened, the pragmatic cooperation steadily advanced, and Guyana has become an important cooperation partner of China in the Caribbean.

In March this year, President Xi Jinping and President Ali talked over the phone, and reached important consensus, which has drawn a new blueprint for the development of the China-Guyana relations. Next year, the two countries will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the diplomatic ties in a significant manner, which is an ideal opportunity to promote greater development of the bilateral relations. I will do my best to work hand-in-hand with my Guyanese friends to promote China and Guyana to become the “finest partners” in the “finest era”.

FIRST: DEEPEN POLICY COORDINATION
The two Heads of State have a lot in common in the thinking of governing the country. President Xi is always committed to the people-centered philosophy of development; that is, “Development for the people, by the people, and to the benefit of all the people”. President Ali also repeatedly emphasises his governing idea of “serving all the people”, and sets “to create new and improved living conditions for every Guyanese” as the development goal. We would like to enhance strategy coordination with the Guyanese side on this basis, and work together in the same direction.

SECOND: STRENGTHEN COOPERATION PLAN
China and Guyana are both developing countries. Development is our greatest common interest. Guyana is experiencing a stage of rapid economic development, while China has the advantages of market, technology and financial resources. We are opportunities for each other. There is big room for advancing cooperation in all fields. We would like to take advantage of jointly building Belt and Road Initiative with Guyana, fully exploring the role of the existing cooperation mechanisms, actively mobilising the participation of all resources, making the cooperation plan on prioritised areas together, and implementing more cooperation projects that are highly qualified, sustainable, and people-centered.

THIRD: PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Over the years, China and Guyana have maintained close coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs. We respect each other, treat each other equally, and have actively contributed to safeguarding the multilateralism and the common interests of developing countries.

Facing the common challenges of humankind, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, we would like to advocate for the Global Development Initiative, stick to the common values of humanity for peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom with Guyana, enhance communication and coordination at the multilateral platforms, including the UN and Group 77 and China, and build a community with a shared future for Mankind.

FOURTH: INCREASE PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES
As the Guyanese Ambassador to China, Mme. Anyin Choo, said, “Diplomacy is based on the people.” It has been over 168 years since the first batch of Chinese people arrived in Guyana, and the Chinese community has become a part of the six peoples of Guyana. The understanding and friendship between Chinese and Guyanese have laid a solid foundation for the development of the bilateral relations.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, people from the two countries have joined hands and helped each other, which opened a new chapter in the annals of our friendship. We would like to encourage and assist our two peoples to increase mutual learning, deepen consensus through engagements, and commonly develop through cooperation.

A Chinese poet once wrote, “Knowing each other so well, we feel close, even though we are far apart.” Although China and Guyana are distant in terms of geography, our ties of friendship are quite close. With the personal attention and guidance of the leaders, and the efforts of the governments and peoples of both sides, I am confident that I can make new contributions to the development of the China-Guyana relations, together with my Guyanese friends, and let the outcomes of the win-win cooperation between China and Guyana better benefit the two countries, and the two peoples.

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