By Guo Haiyan, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana
As Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, I’m honored to have participated in hosting His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali’s historic visit in China. This is a trip of friendship, cooperation and mutual trust, in which the two sides have further enhanced mutual understanding, synergized development strategies and cooperation ideas, and deepened friendship and mutual trust. This year marks the 51st anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Guyana. The bilateral ties have embarked on a new starting point. The bilateral friendship and cooperation will enjoy an even a brighter future.
China and Guyana share a common development vision which is to enable their people to enjoy a better life. Both China and Guyana are developing countries, facing the same tasks of development and sharing the urgent desire to accelerate development. The Chinese people are striving to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization which assures common prosperity. Guyana has embarked on a fast development track and embraced great historical opportunities. Thanks to China’s advantages of experience, technology and capital, and Guyana’s advantages of resources, policies and location, the bilateral cooperation will enjoy even wider space in the field of trade and investment, agriculture, energy, infrastructure and etc.. President Xi Jinping and President Ali said that China and Guyana are committed to building an even closer community with a shared future and advancing common development.
China and Guyana share the common development concepts of green, low-carbon development and harmonious coexistence between man and nature. President Ali has visited east, southwest and north parts of China. The miracle of 30-year phenomenal development of Shanghai’s Pudong district has been quite encouraging. Chengdu, the livable garden city in Sichuan, has been truly desirable. The last stop, Beijing, was affected by the Dusuari rainstorm for days, which was quite similar to the rainy season in Georgetown. The downpour instantly brought the minds and hearts of the two peoples closer and together. We both have first-hand experience of the impact of climate change, and the motivation and ambition to cope with it. Both sides have great potential in developing green industries, accelerating technological innovation and strengthening environmental protection. The two countries are ready to enhance synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, formulate cooperation plans to implement the consensus of the heads of state, and achieve tangible results for the benefit of both peoples.
China and Guyana share the common development goals of realizing peaceful development and improving global governance. Chinese and Guyanese are both peace-loving people. The two countries have played positive and constructive roles in regional and global affairs, and supported each other to exert greater leadership. As countries of the Global South, China and Guyana will strengthen coordination on various multilateral platforms such as the UN Security Council, the Group of 77 and China, the WTO, etc., working together to safeguard the interests of developing countries and uphold multilateralism and international fairness and justice. The two sides will actively seek cooperation under the framework of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.
As President Ali said, Chinese and Guyanese are one family. We are bounded by blood and culture, and belong to the family of developing countries. As a Chinese saying goes, “Nothing, not even mountains or oceans, can separate people with shared goals and vision.” A Latin American proverb echoes, “a real friend is someone who is able to touch your heart from the other side of the world”. In the post-pandemic era, both China and Guyana are looking forward to frequent exchanges and fruitful cooperation. The accompanying delegation of Guyanese private sector also contributed greatly to the success of President Ali’s visit. Engagements and exchanges between the business communities of both sides will inject inexhaustible impetus into the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. I am ready to work with you all to actively implement the outcomes of the visit, promote various follow-up cooperation, and strive for a brighter shared future.
