This is manifest with the signing of four agreements on Tuesday aimed at enhancing economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.

The agreements were signed on the first of an official two-day visit by a 39-member Chinese delegation led by State Councillor in the Government of the People's Republic of China, Madame Wu Yi.

It is worthy to note that although formal diplomatic relations between Guyana and China were established in 1971, there were different levels of relationships between the two countries since the early 1960s.

Many older Guyanese would recall the famous three yards for a dollar cotton prints from China which took the local market by storm. This "three yards for a dollar cotton prints" trade later led to the establishment of the Sanata Textile Mill at the Industrial Site at Ruimveldt, Georgetown, built with Chinese help and expertise.

It must be appreciated how relations between the two sides grew over the years. These ties have since blossomed into a very fruitful friendship between the two countries and their peoples. Testimony to this is the fairly large Chinese community in Guyana, the majority of whom are engaged in thriving food businesses.

It is also worth noting that the two countries held their relations together and further concretised these through the years of the communist hysteria, when China was given the "red" tag, and few countries had either the courage or the resources to stand up to the tremendous shibboleths.

The current Moco Moco Hydro project is another example of the close cooperation between Guyana and China.

The relations were nurtured over the years with the conclusion of several cooperation agreements including a Cultural Agreement, an Agreement on Inter-Ministerial Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Guyana and China, an Agreement on the mutual exemption of visas, among others.

We wish to make special note of the agreements signed by the visiting delegation and Guyanese officials.

These agreements are: Exchange of Notes for Phase 11 of the construction of the Guyana International Convention Centre Project (total investment of US$5M). Agreement for a 20M RMB (renminby-Chinese Yuan) grant for economic and technical cooperation. Protocol on debt relief granted to Guyana for the following three loans, August 26, 1963 - 464,285 pounds sterling; September 18, 1963 - five million Swiss Francs; and April 10,1972 - 10 million pounds sterling, and an Exchange of Notes for the deputation of one table tennis coach, one martial arts coach and one interpreter to work in Guyana for a period of one year.

We wish to note the response by President Bharrat Jagdeo to a toast by Madame Wu Yi.

We believe that the President's response in short tells the story of a great friendship of two great nations and two great peoples, when he said: "let me concede that besides political and economic considerations, the establishment of friendly relations with your country was a natural and logical development propelled by the fact that 150 years previously, the first set of Chinese immigrants made Guyana their home. They bequeathed a cultural legacy which today is woven into the social tapestry of our nation."

"Guyana has been consistent in its support for the 'One China' Policy and I wish to assure you of my Government's unwavering and continuing support for this principle."