THE co-operation between Guyana and China has made remarkable strides in recent years, yet there remains substantial untapped potential for further collaboration, particularly in the fields of agricultural technology, modern machinery, and food security.
Mr. Zhang Peng, who currently serves as the Director of the Americas and Oceanic Affairs Division of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Province, China, articulated this perspective. He had the privilege of hosting a media delegation consisting of eight members from Guyana.

“Much can be learnt from our two countries, and Shandong Province is ready to collaborate with Guyana to help with their agriculture sector,” Mr. Peng said, explaining that his province has maintained the position of being the largest agricultural exporter in China.
Shandong Province, renowned as a leading manufacturing hub and major industrial producer in China, boasts a gross domestic product (GDP) of around US$1.8 trillion. In regards to trade and agriculture, it is one of the leading provinces.
The Director of the Foreign Affairs Office emphasised the importance of examining collaboration between the private sectors of Guyana and Shandong Province, in addition to expanding governmental co-operation between the two.
“We also encourage companies to have co-operation on agriculture technology or agriculture equipment, and we also encourage private companies to seek opportunities to have agriculture development in Guyana and the Caribbean,” he added.
The quick development of Shandong and its ongoing prominence in agricultural expertise in China can be attributed to the contributions of science and technological advancements. The reduction of poverty has been greatly facilitated by the modernisation of the agriculture sector.

In the past year, a delegation from Shandong Province paid a visit to Guyana and held meetings with various officials, including Mr. Robert Persaud, the Foreign Secretary. The purpose of those meetings was to discuss potential areas of co-operation, trade, and investment between Guyana and the province.

The delegation was led by Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Provincial People’s Government, Ms. Baiwei Chen. She gave the commitment of the province to strengthening cultural and economic relations with Guyana. Persaud had also called for greater collaboration in the areas of agriculture and industry.
According to Mr. Peng, Shandong has shown increased interest since that visit. “Ties have already been established in various areas, both in the petroleum industries and infrastructure, and hopefully this will expand to other sectors, including agriculture. I think Shandong and Guyana will have a bright future ahead.”

TRAINING AND SUPPORT
Additionally, the Chinese official emphasised that Shandong Province is the host of the China-Caribbean Development Centre (CCDC), an organisation established in 2022 to enhance China’s collaboration with Caribbean nations.
The nation of Guyana has already experienced positive outcomes from participating in an online seminar that provided training in cage fishing. The local fishing industry perceives this training as highly advantageous, given the government’s efforts to address the adverse effects of climate change by altering fishing techniques in this area.

In fact, it has already expressed an interest in doubling its aquaculture output by 2025, and, to support this, it has budgeted millions to back cage fishing projects introduced in various parts of the country, including Lake Mainstay and Capoey, on the Essequibo Coast. The Chinese Embassy had also donated 50 fishing cages to support these projects.

“The China-Caribbean Development Centre is already working with countries like Guyana to advance their agriculture, and you can expect more collaboration in the future as we continue to expand our friendship and people-to-people co-operation, Mr. Weng stated.
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali made an official visit to China in 2023, where he led a delegation of both government officials and members of the private sector. Following that trip, the Guyanese head of state said he looks forward to strengthening ties with China in various areas of mutual interest, particularly in agriculture and technology.

In 2022, Guyana and China observed 50 years of diplomatic ties. Guyana is the first country in the English-speaking Caribbean to establish diplomatic ties with China. Both countries have committed to further strengthening those ties at all levels. (Reporting by Samuel Sukhnandan)