-Chinese Ambassador says as 75th anniversary of China’s founding celebrated
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Chinese Ambassador, Guo Haiyan last evening stressed that “development holds the key to resolving all problems” and said that Beijing will never forget that Guyana was the first English-speaking Caribbean country to establish ties with it.
“Development not only can enhance democracy and the rule of law, eradicate poverty, improve social security and the environment, but also helps to resolve international hotspots and address global challenges such as food security, energy security and climate change”, the ambassador said at a reception at the Marriott Hotel.
She added that development is a responsibility as well as a right.
“The right to subsistence and development are basic human rights. People in every country are all entitled to participate in and share the benefits of development”, the ambassador said.
Stating that Guyana had become the world’s fastest developing economy, she added that China fully understands Georgetown’s desire to seize the opportunity to develop itself.
“We live in Georgetown and witness this country’s transformation every sat. For instance, Homestretch Avenue, very close to the Chinese Embassy, has been paved and widened. Although more and more oil discoveries have been made, and (a) phenomenal GDP growth rate achieved, the Government and people of Guyana never eased up. They have been working around the clock to dedicate to national development”, she said.
The ambassador cited the number of Chinese enterprises in major projects.
“Chinese enterprises are a constructive force in supporting Guyana’s transformation and benefiting Guyanese people”, she said. The ambassador cited the New Demerara River Bridge and said that the quality and efficiency of the construction speaks for itself. She also pointed to the construction of the China-Guyana Friendship Joe Vieira Park, the six regional hospitals projects and phase two of the East Coast Demerara Road project which she said is steadily moving apace.
“Chinese enterprises in Guyana are not only advancing their own projects with high quality, but also actively undertaking social responsibilities, providing support to orphanages, schools, children, elderly and women in local communities”, she asserted.
The ambassador cited the work of Chinese medical teams – the nineteenth just having concluded treating 1400 patients and performing 2300 surgeries. The 20th team recently arrived. She adverted to the work of the Confucius Institute in teaching Mandarin and pointed to the training of Guyanese in a number of areas.
She added that “China stands ready to work with Guyana to build a more close-knit China-Guyana community with a shared future, jointly safeguard the overall interests of developing countries, and contribute to world peace, security, prosperity and progress”.
Meanwhile, President Irfaan Ali praised China for significantly contributing to the development and expansion of Guyana’s economy over the decades.
“Today, we celebrate the peaceful existence of our relationship. We celebrate the peaceful existence of a culture that binds us together and decades of diplomatic relationships,” the president said, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).
The president said that China plays a vital role in Guyana’s ongoing economic growth and said the relationship between the two nations has already achieved a great deal and that it continues to grow.
“We want this transformation to position our country as one of the most innovative and diverse economies, an economy that is built on knowledge, on technology and an economy that is carefully created and crafted to become competitive, resilient and sustainable in the future. And that, requires partnership,” President Ali said, according to DPI.
