Chinese companies have long been part of Guyana’s development – Embassy to US official

The Chinese Embassy in Guyana on Monday issued a statement in response to United States (US) Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs in the Department of State, Juan Pablo Segura, who criticised Chinese state-owned companies for their track record across the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. The US$150 million Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion project, which was plagued by prolonged delays and cost overruns under the previous A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Administration in Guyana, was flagged by the US official in a statement on X. He said the project “…was plagued by more than a decade of construction delays and cost overruns.” He also highlighted other troubled major projects undertaken by Chinese companies in the region, including a costly, poorly built and failing hydroelectric dam in Ecuador, as well as abandoned construction projects and corrupt efforts to manipulate bidding processes in Peru. “Our region is riddled with projects led by Chinese state -owned companies such as the Sinohydro Corporation and China Railway Group Limited where corners were cut, contracts were broken, Governments saddled with debt, and the local environment suffered,” the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs contended.

In response, the Chinese Embassy said “such remarks disregard the facts and constitute political manipulation and malicious smears against normal China-Guyana economic and trade cooperation. The Chinese Embassy in Guyana firmly opposes them”. The embassy further noted that Chinese companies have been part of Guyana’s development for many years, investing in the country and contributing to its modernisation. “From the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge and the China-Guyana Friendship Joe Vieira Park to the Six Regional Hospitals. Those projects have helped improve infrastructure, create jobs and support economic and social development, earning broad recognition across Guyanese society,” the embassy highlighted. The embassy also contended that Guyana and other LAC countries are entitled to choose their own development partners.

According to the Chinese Embassy, “we stand ready to further deepen practical cooperation with Guyana across various fields and deliver more tangible and accessible benefits to our two countries and peoples.” Guyana was the first English-speaking Caribbean country to establish diplomatic relations with China in 1971, with formal diplomatic ties marked in June 1972.