– President Ali says, hailing China’s 50-year strong relationship with Guyana

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali, while hailing Guyana’s 50-year strong relationship with the People’s Republic of China, praised the invaluable contribution of that country to national development here.

Speaking during the special ceremony hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Georgetown at the Pegasus Corporate Suites to honour 50 years of diplomatic relations with Guyana, President Ali underscored that all are welcomed to be part of Guyana’s economic transformation, including China.

It was there that President Ali, while delivering remarks, said relations between the two countries are imperishable resulting in tremendous development gains which have brought the people of both nations closer together.

Against this backdrop, the President said his government desires to show no partiality, and such is the reason that Chinese nationals, like all others, are welcome to be part of Guyana’s development.

“My government desires to show no partiality and this is why Chinese nationals, like nationals of any other country, are welcome to our country’s national development.

“And, indeed, not only are you welcome to our country’s national development but you make up an important part of our cultural heritage,” Dr. Ali said.

To this end, he noted that his government has also committed to a “One-Guyana Initiative” which is aimed primarily at ensuring great inclusiveness and creating an environment where all feel comfortable building their lives in a closely knitted Guyana.

Furthermore, the Head of State noted that China’s support for Guyana over the years has been spread across several areas including agriculture, defence co-operation, education, health, infrastructural development, and trade, to name a few.

President Ali also said his engagement with China’s President Xi Jinping has seen further co-operation identified in human resource training and development, food security and agriculture, technological transformation, structural transformation, and private sector partnerships.

In addition to this, he noted that the relationship that the countries hold must also enable the world to arrive at better solutions as both must play a part in advancing democratic norms and principles.

Meanwhile, the Ambassador of China in Georgetown, Guo Haiyan, while making remarks, also said that the relationship between China and Guyana over the years has been fruitful.

Cognizant of this, she added that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Guyana has firmly adhered to the ‘One-China’ principle even as China has supported Guyana in pursuing an independent development path.

As such, the ambassador added, “China-Guyana co-operation is an open co-operation. We believe that Guyana is a hotbed of investment with fair competition and we’re happy to see diversification of Guyana’s international partners… we have confidence in Chinese enterprises which operates [sic] with integrity and strength.”

With that, she expressed that the people of both countries are actively pursuing a better life and it is a shared vision to support each other and work together for a brighter future.

Adding further detail on the half-century relationship, Haiyan told those gathered that since China established an embassy in Guyana there has been 15 Chinese ambassadors to Guyana who have made great contributions to the development of the relationship.

Additionally, she noted that bilateral trade volume exceeded US$100 million for the first time in 2010 and has since increased over the following 11 years to reach some US$710 million in 2021.

During the ceremony, a limited edition commemorative stamp displaying the flags of China and Guyana was launched.