Guyana reaffirms ‘One-China’ principle
Guyana Chronicle
August 11, 2004
THE Guyana Government highly esteems principles and it is for this reason that it will continue embracing the 'One-China' policy, President Bharrat Jagdeo has said.
He gave the assurance Monday evening at a farewell reception for Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Mr. Song Toa at the Chinese Embassy.
Ambassador Song is saying goodbye at the end of his two-and-a-half-year tenure here. He and his wife are due to leave Guyana on August 15.
The issue of Guyana's longstanding commitment to the 'One-China' has come into focus in the wake of Opposition Leader Robert Corbin's recent visit to Taiwan.
Mr. Corbin said his visit was private and was made in the context of the constitutional rights and freedoms of Guyanese. He had spoken amid remarks by a Chinese Embassy official here that the visit was insensitive.
"We will continue to do whatever we can to ensure that the 'One-China' policy remains the policy of Guyana and this region," the President said at the reception. "For a country like Guyana this is very, very important".
"We, who know of the threats to our territorial integrity and sovereignty, should understand issues of sovereignty more than anyone else. It is incumbent on us to continue to reflect that in national policies. Principles are more important than the money diplomacy of Taiwan," the President said.
The Ambassador expressed appreciation of Guyana's commitment to the 'One-China' policy.
"The 'One-China' principle has been universally accepted by the international community and has become a world trend. Supporting the 'One-China' policy is in the long-term interest of Guyana and China," the Ambassador said, adding that both are developing countries which can realise their goals through enhanced cooperation.
Since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations on June 27, 1971, Guyana and China have maintained strong bilateral relations, accentuated by contacts in the political, diplomatic, economic and cultural arenas.
The Guyana/China ties are cemented in the Guyana/China Joint Commission on Economics, Trade and Technical Cooperation, and through a number of agreements, including those on culture and inter-ministerial consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of both countries.
On January 7, 2003 Guyana and China affixed signatures to several agreements in the presence of President Jagdeo and Vice-Premier of China Madame Wu Yi, who was visiting Guyana with a 39-member delegation.
The first of the agreements is for the 'Exchange of Notes on the Construction of the Guyana International Conference Centre Project,' costing US$5M, which has started at Liliendaal. The second is on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the governments of Guyana and China.
The third agreement is for the remission of the 10.5 pound sterling and 3.78M SFR Guyana owes the Chinese Government.
The two countries also "Exchanged Notes" on sending two coaches, in martial arts and table tennis, and one interpreter, to work in Guyana for one year.
The most recent cooperation will see the implementation of the Skeldon Factory Modernisation Project by a Chinese company.