THE upcoming visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by President Dr Irfaan Ali couldn’t have been more-timely, coming at an important juncture in world history when new and old alignments are reshaping global affairs and just as Guyana gained a seat the United Nations Security Council.

Guyana and China are in the midst of strengthening their international relations to improve and strengthen bilateral trade, business and other mutually-beneficial ties and common interests.
Guyana – soon to be the fourth-largest offshore oil producer and being courted by Saudi Arabia to join the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), with the highest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) levels in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and driving full throttle in the fast lane towards its flagpole as the richest nation in South America — has also been re-setting the clock to reshape its global ties.

Nine CARICOM nations — Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago — recognize the world’s only China through bilateral ties that have always been reliable and consistent over the past five decades, as reiterated during the June 25, 2023 visit to the PRC by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Her China counterpart reminded the Barbados leader that Beijing “stands ready to deepen relations and enhance cooperation” with the Caribbean, aiming “to inject momentum into post-pandemic global recovery and collective development, through its opening-up and modernization.”

Premier Li said Beijing is also “willing to enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen cooperation in various fields and build bilateral and multilateral relations into models of solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit for developing countries.”
China is always ready, he added, “to promote joint construction of high-quality Belt-and-Road projects” with its regional allies “and enhance exchanges and cooperation-related support to their economies, as well as in trade, culture and other fields.”

Businesswise, China encourages its enterprises to invest and do business with its Caribbean partners and Premier Li said it also stands “ready to import more competitive Caribbean products” and “continue to provide assistance, within its capacity, for their economic and social development.”

The Premier said China “understands the situation and special concerns of developing island countries in coping with Climate Change and other issues and is willing to jointly seek solutions for financing difficulties, as well as “to support developing countries as they accelerate their energy transformation and achieve sustainable development.”

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told the ‘Global Times’ in Beijing that such visits by Caribbean leaders “provide good opportunities to further enhance political mutual trust, expand cooperation and bring bilateral relations toward greater heights and brighter prospects,” as well as “to provide a platform for open discussions to better answer the question of where globalization is heading, against the backdrop of decoupling push by certain Western countries.”

The PRC’s diplomatic presence in Guyana today, under the leadership of Ambassador Guo Haiyan, is a fitting example of China’s commitment to joint pursuit of genuine South-South Cooperation; the China National Overseas Oil Corporation’s (CNOOC) ownership of a quarter of Guyana’s largest offshore oil bloc is another bright spot in that historical relationship; and Chinese companies in Guyana’s mining industry have already created over 2,500 local jobs.

The Guyana President’s exchange with his China counterpart, President Xi Jinping, following on the heels of the recent visit to Guyana and attendance at CARICOM’s 50th Anniversary Summit in early July by China’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Madam Hua Chinyeng, will naturally provide yet-another opportunity for Georgetown and Beijing to continue to turn old challenges into new opportunities.