China’s government bristles at growing ties between the US and oil-rich Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — China’s government bristled Friday at the strengthening ties between Guyana and the United States in online comments a day after a visit to the South American country by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Chinese comments came after Guyanese President Irfaan Ali said his oil-rich nation would give the U.S. preferential treatment over other countries after it pledged to respond forcefully if neighboring Venezuela tries to annex Guyanese territory as it has threatened.

The Chinese Embassy in Guyana posted on Facebook on Friday that China has always “put China-Guyana Friendship first.”

“We honor our commitment with concrete actions. As a matter of fact, China has participated fully at the biggest economic and social transformation in the history of Guyana. Facts and figures speak louder than anything else,” the embassy said.

China cited its $1.4 billion in annual trade with Guyana and a string of major infrastructure projects that Chinese firms are undertaking, some secured by Chinese loans. These include the new Demerara Harbor Bridge, China-Guyana Joe Vieria Park, six regional hospitals and the East Coast Demerara road project.

After Rubio’s visit to Guyana and meeting with Ali on Thursday, he traveled to Suriname where he joked at a news conference about the ruggedness of Guyana’s airport road built with China’s help.

“They don’t do a bad job, they do a terrible job,” the U.S. diplomat said of China’s projects abroad. “I just came from Guyana, where we had to drive on a road the Chinese built. We almost all had concussions, because the road was so bad. It was terrible.”

Rubio also criticized China for bringing in their own workers to work on projects abroad, adding that the country also wants “you to borrow a bunch of money and then they hold it over your head.”

However, Rubio noted that U.S. companies are not taking advantage of investement opportunities in the region, echoing similar remarks by Surinamese President Chan Santokhi.

Not all the countries are showing up,” Santokhi said. “We are inviting investors. My invitation to (Rubio) was that we need the private sector of the United States.”

Bert Wilkinson, The Associated Press