–bilateral trade moves from US$265M in 2018 to US$1.8B in 2022

BILATERAL trade between Guyana and China has increased from US$265 million in 2018 to US$1.88 billion in 2022, a strong indication of how the two nations’ historic relationship has grown tremendously over the past years.

This was according to China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, during her remarks at the sod-turning ceremony for the $6.6 billion regional hospital at Plantation Bath, West Coast Berbice, on Wednesday.

“In recent years, China-Guyana trade and economic co-operation has been steadily advancing…” she said, adding, that the impact will enhance the well-being of both Guyanese and Chinese.

She then went on to say: “Guyana has become China’s largest trading partner among [Caribbean] CARICOM countries.”

The Ambassador then affirmed that China is willing to further enhance bilateral co-operation in various fields in order to foster growth in both nations. China and Guyana officially established diplomatic relations in 1972.

Under political relations there have been interactions between leaders of the two countries at different times. China has assisted Guyana with a number of infrastructural projects, including the construction of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Under healthcare, Guyana has benefited from being the first Caribbean country to receive COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese Government, while the Chinese Medical Brigade has been coming to Guyana since 1993, following the establishment of a Medical Cooperation Agreement between the two countries on May 26, 1993.

In the area of capacity building, the Chinese Government has offered a number of scholarships and training courses to Guyanese at leading universities in China.

Moreover, the government has signed contracts with China’s Sinopharm International for the construction of six new regional hospitals in various parts of the country, including the one in Plantation Bath.

The new facilities will be built at Anna Regina, Region Two; De Kinderen, Region Three; Diamond and Enmore, Region Four; Bath, Region Five, and Skeldon, Region Six. Each of the new regional hospitals will be 65,000 square feet.

Over the next few years, according to President Ali at the sod turning ceremony, the government wants to train and attract a significant number of healthcare professionals to provide not just health care, but also the best, world-class medical services to the people of Guyana.