China’s Shandong Province eyes deepening collaboration with Guyana

– touts opportunities in agriculture, infrastructure & manufacturing sectors

With a spot in China’s top three economic provinces, Shandong is leading in areas such as agriculture and manufacturing, and now the Chinese provincial powerhouse has noticed the unprecedented growth Guyana is undergoing and wants to be a part of this journey.
“Guyana and Shandong, we have a very strong desire to develop our economies. I think in the future we can become trade partners… As Guyana and Shandong develop, I think we will have more and more opportunities for each other,” Director of the American & Oceanian Affairs Division at the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Shandong Province, Zhang Peng, told <<Guyana Times>> last month.
In 2023, Shandong recorded the third highest GDP growth, which exceeded five per cent, with revenue reaching RMB $11.35 trillion (approximately US$1.57 trillion), and this year, the province is aiming to maintain its GDP growth at above five per cent.

Shandong enjoys huge market potential. It is implementing the major programmes to foster new drivers of growth, building itself into a model of rural vitalization and stepping up the building of a strong maritime province.
The Chinese province has established 666 sister relations and friendly cooperative relationships with provinces (states) and cities of 102 countries on six continents, including 77 pairs of provincial-level relations.
Last year, Shandong registered a total foreign trade volume of 3,26 trillion RMB yuan, up by 1.7 per cent from the previous year. With established sister relations and friendly cooperative relations with provinces and cities in 102 countries around the world, Shandong’s reach has extended to neighbouring Brazil, Cuba, Peru, and more recently Guyana.
While Shandong has already penetrated the Guyanese market with its heavy-duty machinery and major role in the country’s infrastructure development, Zhang believes there is room to deepen this collaboration and expand the areas of cooperation.
“[In] agriculture, you will choose a good partner, because Shandong is strong in agriculture because it’s number one in China…I think besides agriculture, we could have more cooperation in fishery, or infrastructure cooperation, or the manufacturing sector,” the Chinese official indicated.
Currently, Shandong’s China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, producers of Sinotruk and Weichai Lovol, manufacturer of heavy-duty agricultural equipment, have their products in the Guyanese market.

Meanwhile, in infrastructure, Shandong’s Qingjian Group Co. Ltd (CNQC) has been involved in several major infrastructural projects, especially in the hospitality sector, working on the New Pegasus Suites, the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, and the Blue Ridge Hotel project. CNQC is also undertaking the US$10 million transformation of the Joe Vieira Park facility.
According to the Shandong Director of the American & Oceanian Affairs Division, “As the development of Guyana [takes place], I think more and more businesses from Shandong would like to go to Guyana to seek the opportunity of business in [that] overseas market.
“I think in the near future you can see more businesses from Shandong or from other provinces to have a field trip there… We encourage our businesses from Shandong to explore the market in Guyana, and even in other Caribbean countries.”
Back in April 2023, a delegation from Shandong visited Guyana to explore business opportunities here.
During a meeting with the Chinese group, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud urged for greater collaboration in the areas of agriculture and industry.
While noting that exports to China have been increasing due to rising shipments of oil, he challenged the delegation to increase imports from Guyana, especially relative to trade in non-oil products.
These sentiments were shared by Zhang, who believes there is scope for Guyanese businesses to tap into the Shandong market.
“In Shandong, we have a very good environment for business. We have friendly people here; that is quite important. So, if you invest in Shandong, you choose a good partner for the future,” the Chinese official encouraged. (Vahnu Manickchand)