The Chinese Embassy in Georgetown has rejected recent criticism from a United States State Department official over projects undertaken by Chinese companies in Guyana, accusing the official of attempting to politicise economic cooperation between the two countries.
In a statement on Monday, the Embassy said the official recently used a personal social media account to make claims about Chinese companies and their involvement in projects here.
The Embassy did not identify the US official or specify the projects that were criticised, but described the remarks as an attack on normal China-Guyana economic and trade relations.
“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 statement said.
In defending China’s involvement in Guyana, the Embassy pointed to several projects involving Chinese companies, including the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, the China-Guyana Friendship Joe Vieira Park and six regional hospitals.
According to the Embassy, Chinese companies have operated in Guyana for several years and their investments have contributed to infrastructure development, employment and the country’s wider economic and social development.
The Embassy also argued that Guyana and other countries across Latin America and the Caribbean should be allowed to independently determine which countries they partner with in pursuing their development agendas.
“A true friend is not someone who stands at a distance and tells you who you should or should not work with. A true friend is someone who stands with you when you need support, brings opportunities when you are moving forward, and works with you, on the basis of mutual respect, to get things done,” the Embassy stated.
It added that countries in the region have “every right to choose their own partners and pursue the path of development that works best for them, free from outside interference.”
The Embassy maintained that normal trade and economic cooperation should not be politicised or viewed through ideological considerations.
It further described China as a “trustworthy friend and partner of Guyana” and Chinese companies as important contributors to the country’s development.
The Embassy said China intends to continue deepening practical cooperation with Guyana in various areas, with the aim of delivering further benefits to both countries and their people.
