Chinese companies warned to abide with local laws – Ambassador

…as President pledges continued cooperation

Chinese companies operating in Guyana were on Friday warned that they must abide with local laws, even as

Guyana’s President David Granger pledges to continue the 44-year prosperous relationship with the Asian global economic giant.
These were among the notions expressed on Friday as the local Chinese Embassy hosted a reception marking the anniversary of the founding of the Peoples’ Republic of China.
Chinese Ambassador Zhang Limin used the occasion to directly appeal to the local Chinese fraternity and businesses over the controversy surrounding the operations of Bai Shan Lin International Forest Developers—said to be guilty of flouting local laws and owing billions of dollars in taxes.
Speaking to a packed hall in the Chinese Embassy, the Ambassador took time out to address the local Chinese fraternity frontally.
According to Ambassador Zhang, Chinese companies operating locally must not only adhere to the laws of the land but they must also be careful to ensure and fulfill on their social corporate responsibilities as promised to the people of Guyana.
The reception held at the Chinese Embassy on Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, saw in attendance Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge, Ministers Winston Jordan and Cathy Hughes among others of the political opposition including former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Irfaan Ally and Clement Rohee.
US Ambassador to Guyana Perry Holloway was also among those making up the local diplomatic corps.

Cooperative venture
The Chinese Ambassador to Guyana used the opportunity to also highlight some of the key cooperative ventures between the two countries since it formalised diplomatic relations almost 50 years ago.
He spoke of the ongoing US$150 milion Expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) being undertaken by China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC); the donation of a second batch of laptop computers for the One Laptop Per Family Programme as well as the impending refurbishment of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre—built by the Chinese.
Ambassador Zhang in speaking of the deepening relationship between the two countries, recognised not only the Confucius Institute established at the University of Guyana but also the fact that a Chinese language course has been formally launched at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Cooperation locally.
He used the occasion to also recognise social fruits of the relationship between the two countries and pointed to recent visits to China by Ministers of Government Joseph Harmon, Cathy Hughes and Raphael Trotman, among others.
Ambassador Zhang also used the occasion to remind that China is currently one of the world’s largest and most stable economies contributing some 30 per cent of the global economic growth.
He said too that China is committed to supporting Guyana in its push for a clean, green economy.
Pledging continued support to developing countries such as Guyana, Ambassador Zhang said the Chinese Government looks forward to supporting the country in its ventures related to not only Climate Change but also in its fledgling oil and gas industry and the Information Communications and Technology Sector.
Following a toast with the Chinese Ambassador, Head of State President Granger in his remarks sought to remind of the longstanding relationship between the two countries dating back to October 1971 United Nation’s resolution, supported by Guyana meant to recognize the role of China and its representation at that forum.
He said this was at a time when the countries of the world were deeply divided but Guyana voted in support of recognising the representatives of the Peoples’ Republic of China as the only legitimate representatives of that country at that forum.President Granger also used the occasion to recognise the continuous contributions by the people of China to Guyana’s social and economic development, singling out for special mention the current Chinese Medical Brigade.
The president also spoke of the support given to Guyana in its pursuit of a clean, green economy and its insistence on the territorial integrity of the two nations.
“Guyana and China have collaborated in academia, culture, defence, energy, health, infrastructure development, medicine, mining, and other fields,”
According to the President, the two countries share a deep desire to strengthen economic relations and trade ties.
He said too that Guyana and China share common values including the mutual non-interference in each other’s affairs, “cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for treaties and international law and the maintenance of international peace and security.”
The president used the occasion too to recognise that both Guyana and China share a common interest in the promotion of sustainable development, particularly in the area of renewable energy.
According to President Granger, Guyana has been observing with keen interest China’s introduction of its 13th five-year plan for 2016 to 2020 which is committed to achieving a green economy by introducing green low carbon industries—something the two countries share in common.
Recognising China as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies, he said Guyana “welcomes especially the introduction of the multilateral multibillion-dollar platforms such as the People’s Republic of China/Latin American/Caribbean, industrial cooperation investment and infrastructure funds.” The initiative, he said, “will certainly strengthen our economic relations.”