China hints displeasure at US-Guyana talk up of closer relations

Last Updated on Thursday, 27 March 2025, 21:33 by Writer

China on Thursday suggested that it was annoyed by Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali assurance to the United States (US) that it would receive “preferential” treatment.

“China has always “Put China-Guyana Friendship First”. We honor our commitment with concrete actions. As a matter of fact, China has participated fully at the biggest economic and social transformation in the history of Guyana. Facts and figures speak louder than anything else,” the Chinese Embassy here said on its Facebook page.

Accompanying that post were several images stating, among other things, that “over the past 12 years China-Guyana trade volume has increased from US$180 million in 2013 to US$1.4 billion in 2024, and that China is willing to deepen the alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, and elevate the level of high quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries. The Chinese Embassy also listed several infrastructural projects that China is involved in in Guyana. These include the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, China-Guyana Joe Vieria Park, six regional hospitals and the East Coast Demerara road project.

President Ali told a news conference that Guyana would treat the US preferentially in exchange for support in development, economic expansion, security and defence.

“I will say very boldly that such friends must have some different and preferential treatment because a friend who will defend me when I need a friend to defend me, must be a friend that enjoys some special place in our hearts and in our country, and that will be the case,” he said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who shared the news conference with President Ali, said unequivocally that if Venezuela attacks American supermajor’s oil assets in Guyana’s Stabroek Block or takes military action against Guyana in pressing its border claim to the Essequibo Region it would face tough consequences. “It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil or anything like it,” he said.

Guyana and China established diplomatic relations in 1972, and since then both the People’s National Congress Reform and People’s Progressive Party Civic-led administrations have supported the One China policy instead of the breakaway province of Taiwan.

In February 2021, relations between Guyana and China soured after the American embassy here had announced that Guyana had granted permission for Taiwan to open a trade and investment facilitation office.

Despite assurances by the government then that Guyana’s One China policy had remained intact, China intensified diplomatic representation then and got the Guyana government to overturn that decision.

President Ali said on Thursday that Guyana and the US share a long bond of friendship and partnership. “Indeed, the best of partnership are those built on shared values, mutual trust and a commitment to the rule of law and international order. This is what underpins our bilateral relationship and friendship. The United States is our trusted partner as we continue to build a stable, secure and democratic society here, this visit has allowed us to consolidate our bilateral agenda, defining policies and outlining clear intentions in areas of security, trade, energy investments, infrastructure, democracy, regional peace and stability, human capital, deployment and development,” he said.

Before, Mr Rubio warned Venezuela against launching a military strike on Guyana or ExxonMobil’s assets in the Stabroek Block, Dr Ali said “I’m very pleased at the reassurance of the US and ensuring the safeguard of our territorial integrity and sovereignty, our partnership and joint commitment to the safeguard of this region from every disruptive force is key to the maintenance of democracy and an adherence to the rule of law.”

China and Venezuela enjoy very close diplomatic and business relations.