THE newly-accredited Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Guo Haiyan has called on all Guyanese to join hands in advancing Guyana’s development, especially at this exciting period in our country’s history. This call was made during the presentation of her Letter of Credence to His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.  Ambassador Guo Haiyan is the first female envoy to represent the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Guyana, and it is also her first working experience in Latin America and the Caribbean.

As pointed out by Ambassador Guo Haiyan, Guyana is an important country in the region, with a diversified culture, beautiful environment, and huge development opportunities. This is especially so with rapid developments in the oil-and-gas sector. The country is now experiencing robust growth, one of the highest in the world, thanks to the impact of oil on the local economy.

The ambassador also made reference to the fact that the Guyana Government has piloted the people of the nation to respond to several challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent flood situation, and the boosting of economic recovery. Guyana, she said, 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.

These are indeed refreshing and reassuring sentiments expressed by the envoy, who, even though fresh to the region and the country, is sufficiently knowledgeable of the significant strides the country has been making to enhance the quality of life of the Guyanese people. This is Guyana’s finest era, she said, quoting President Ali, under whose administration she said she is “lucky to be witnessing Guyana’s national transformation”.

Guyana and China have a long history of friendship, and both countries have lots in common, in terms of history and culture. Guyana is home to a significant number of people of Chinese origin, who are today making a substantial contribution to the country’s development.

The Chinese have graduated from the days of ‘bottom house’ Chinese cook-shops, and are now playing a key, if not dominant, role in some aspects of the country’s economic life, particularly in areas of trade, commerce, construction, and the services industry.

At the diplomatic and bilateral levels, relations between the two countries are founded on the basis of the ‘One China Policy’, which was reaffirmed by the PPP/C administration. In fact, in 1971, Guyana voted in favour of Resolution No. 2758 in the United Nations, which contributed to the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations.

Only recently, Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Chinese President Xi Jinping talked on the phone, during which conversation, consensus was reached on a new blueprint for the development of Guyana-China relations. Both countries will next year celebrate 50 years of relations at the diplomatic level.

China is a friend of the Guyanese people, and has, over the decades, provided significant assistance to Guyana in several areas, including training, capacity-building, infrastructural development, and technical assistance. Founded in 1949, China, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, has been transformed into a world power today, even though it still considers itself as being part of the developing world.

Its meteoric rise as an economic powerhouse came about largely from sustained high growth rates over the past decades; something which Guyana is now in the process of experiencing.