China has agreed to help Guyana boost its capacity to conduct aerial surveillance of the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, with the upgrading of a Chinese twin-engine plane and training of more pilots.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said Chief of Staff, Commodore Gary Best and a team have clinched an agreement through the People's Liberation Army of China for the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) to fund the upgrade of the GDF's Y-12 Harbin aircraft.

The upgrade kit, when installed, would enable the aircraft to do maritime surveillance of the EEZ, the GDF said in a statement. The GDF has not intercepted foreign vessels fishing in Guyanese waters or committing any other crimes in Guyanese waters for several months now. The Y-12 has in the past flown President Bharrat Jagdeo on an official visit to neighbouring Suriname.

CATIC would also train command and instructor pilots and engineers of the GDF for the aircraft which was purchased in 2002. The army has only one pilot for the Y-12, call-signed 8R-GDS, which is classified as a utility aircraft. "Training will be conducted locally and is expected to boost the force’s ability to maintain the aircraft," the army added.

The local army and the Chinese embassy are to finalize arrangements for the commencement of the training and upgrade of the aircraft under a five year agreement between the GDF and the Peoples Liberation Army.

Best, during the June 25 to July 6, 2010 visit to China, discussed the provision of assistance for the Y-12 with General Chen Bingde, Chief of General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army of China.

The Guyanese military delegation also visited the First Solares Coy Limited, a solar water heating company that supplies the Chinese Armed Forces, the People’s Liberation Army Navy Command College, the Third Guard Division of the Beijing Military Region and CATIC, the defence dealer in aviation products.

The GDF said its visit to China afforded another opportunity for further strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two armies and to explore future opportunities for training and military assistance.