Guyana’s growing Chinese presence

THERE are those who see the growing Chinese presence in Guyana as a threatening scenario that can be likened unto a giant that will overpower every citizen, thereby assuming control over the country. 

Unless one has mis-interpreted this perception, this is the mindset of a growing number of citizens. It is good that our citizens have been noting what is taking place within their country, especially in terms of its development. However, this seeming anxiety over the Chinese is misplaced, if one is prepared to understand the dynamics of national economic development, and the realities of the emergent international economic relations plateau.
For example, last week, Chinese Premier, Li Kekiang was received in Britain with great pomp and ceremony as testimony to recognition of growing economic influence. Not only was he received by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, an honour reserved only for Heads of State, but  there were business deals totaling  £14B (US$23B).
It is evident that Guyana has charted a socio-economic development policy, based on direct heavy State investment;  private sector investment; private sector joint ventures with the government; and foreign direct investment. No country that is wise about its socio-economic development will ever ignore/refuse sources of foreign investment that are favourable in its conditions.
As is well known, the United States no longer sees Guyana and the Caribbean as geopolitically important, as was the case during the Cold War, when financial aid flowed as a counter against possible communist influence.
Coupled with the fundamentally important scenario of the ending of the Cold War is the re-direction of the United States especially, and other traditional economic donors to other contingency theatres that are of more urgency to their national interests.
Also of even more significance is the fact that these new areas of US foreign policy have resulted in contingency investments to the American treasury of trillions of dollars. Now, factor  this with the international economic crises that almost resulted in a collapse of this North American economy, and one will understand that there would be severe constraints in America’s economic financial aid to countries such as Guyana.
One stands to be corrected in saying that there has been a gradual reduction in US aid flows to the entire CARICOM region, inclusive of Guyana, over the past 15 years and over.
The truism, that has to be understood by those critics of Guyana’s accepting economic financial aid from the emerging Asian economic giant, is that every country has the right to chart its own foreign policy, based on its domestic imperatives. Thus, the scale of Guyana’s socio-economic development with its transformative component warranted the kind of aid and investment flows which the Chinese have generously been giving.
It is instructive to note that Guyana’s development process has coincided with the rise of this Asian giant. Only recently, the Chinese President completed a tour of some European countries, as well as on the African continent. On all of these visits, China was welcomed with great ceremony, after which huge investments and economic trade deals were agreed.
For the critics again, they must be reminded of the multi-billion (US) aid development package that was placed at the disposal of those CARICOM States that have diplomatic ties with China, during Chinese President Xi Xingping’s visit to Trinidad, in 2013. Were there objections to the concluded deals? Absolutely not!
Let it be understood that Chinese economic aid is now a concrete fact of global international economic relations, and it is a much sought after ingredient that has been fuelling positive  economic growth rates in, for example, many African countries.
Many countries that had been struggling with their economic development, its funding, have been rescued by the generosity of the Chinese.
In Guyana, there have been grumblings from some sections of the business community, for example, the garment manufacturers, and those that import clothing from some Asian destinations. Whereas, buyers were given only wholesale options, the advent of the Chinese has resulted in retail alternatives, and at cheaper prices. Of course, the latter suits the pockets of the working class.
One wonders if it were a case of huge American aid flows, concomitant with investments on the scale as the Chinese, whether such a hue and cry, so evident because of the latter, would have been made?