By Suelle Findlay-Williams in Beijing, China
AS China pursues its modernisation agenda through various avenues, including sharing its rich history and culture with the world, it is keen on strengthening its tourism initiatives with Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean.

Director-General of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cai Wei, at a briefing with journalists from the region, disclosed that the Chinese government has challenged its local air carriers to identify convenient travel routes between China and the Caribbean.

According to Cai, travel from China to Caribbean countries proves particularly challenging. Currently, persons travelling to any Caribbean country would have to book several flights and travel extremely long hours to arrive at their destination; this sometimes amounts to days.

“It is a difficulty for us…so far, I have not found a very convenient air route from China to the Caribbean. Before the pandemic, we used to have to travel from China and Montreal on to Havana. Some of the tourists go through the United States or Europe, but it’s still difficult for us,” Cai said.

He related that China has been exploring the possibility of partnering with Mexico to facilitate flights from China to transit. He said that the technicalities are still being sorted out. The other option would be to establish routes via Europe.

Responding to questions regarding the possibility of China implementing a plan to facilitate Caribbean nationals of Chinese descent who wish to travel to China to trace their roots, Cai said that discussions are ongoing with the various embassies.

“Not just Chinese tourists going to the Caribbean but also members of the Caribbean coming back to China. So, you can see that that’s why we are so desperate to have direct air contact between China and the Caribbean,” he said.

CHINA-CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Cai related that one of the fundamental reasons for establishing the China-Caribbean Development Centre (CCDC) is to foster closer relations with the Caribbean.

“We feel that the centre would be home for the Caribbean, and we have proposed for them to do exhibitions…We want to see the colourful world, and in this colourful world, the Caribbean is very important,” he said.

The CCDC, which was launched in 2022, serves as a bridge in promoting mutually beneficial co-operation and achieving common development goals between China and the Caribbean. It also indicates China’s commitment to strengthening co-operation with the Caribbean for development and creating an even closer China-Caribbean community to achieve a shared future.