The Guyana-China card- Pt 1

Sep 24, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

(Kaieteur News) – In his 201st Oil and Gas column, the tireless Chris Ram, man of law and man of numbers, introduced a thought-provoking element in Guyana’s oil weaknesses and struggles. It’s one with explosive potential. One, if acted upon, that is sure to trigger some huge ripples across a number of fronts, both local and foreign. Mr. Ram came up with the novel idea that the Guyana Government should leverage its valued relationship with the Chinese Government for some movement towards the contract renegotiation table. I am sure that the resonantly named Excellency Yang Yang, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana would be more than inspired to take it from there. Now, I urge a careful scrutinising, measuring, of the environment.

America wants China to go out of Guyana and back to China. China wants to stay. Guyanese have an oil contract challenge. It’s about how to get more from the Exxon-led oil consortium. A consortium in which a Chinese company, CNOOC, holds a not insignificant 25 percent stake. Exxon men have been blunt: no to renegotiation. Could it be that CNOOC, a Chinese entity – alongside its country that is supposedly friendly to Guyana – does not agree with that no-to-renegotiation posture in some way? Small or substantial, it’s in Guyana’s interests to explore through diplomatic channels what the possibilities could be. A Chinese company, deeply embedded within the American oil consortium, could be the platform, launchpad, to the door of renegotiation for Guyana. The quid pro quo for being a gamechanger is that China has a firmer footing in Guyana.