ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – A senior Chinese diplomat says the Caribbean region should not be viewed as a “battleground” where major countries form small circles pitted against one another.
The charge d'affaires of the Embassy, Wang Erdong with Antigua's Prime Minister Gaston BrowneIn fact, the Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of the People’s Republic here, Wang Erdong, is of the view that both China and the United States could be partners in the development of Antigua and Barbuda and by extension, the Caribbean.
Erdong, in a statement published in the on-line publication, Antiguanewsroom.com on Friday, said a recent article by Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, titled “For the Caribbean, relations with the US and China is not one or the other” is indeed thought provoking.
“In general, I agree with Ambassador Sanders. It needs to be emphasized that China’s cooperation with Antigua and Barbuda is in no way meant to force Antigua and Barbuda to take sides between China and the US, because the one-or-the-other scenario does not serve the national interests of Antigua and Barbuda.
“As a matter of fact, China and the United States could both be cooperative partners of Antigua and Barbuda. Never has China tried to sell its social system and development path to the Antiguan and Barbudan friends, nor drive a wedge between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States.”
The Chinese diplomat wrote that the “Caribbean region is not a battleground where major countries form small circles pitted against one another.
“The relationship between China and the United States in this region is not meant to be one of rivalry or even confrontation. Caribbean countries should be able to be friends with the United States and at the same time form partnerships with China.”
In his article, Sir Ronald noted that earlier this month, more than a dozen representatives in the US Congress had sent a letter to the US Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, asking for immediate attention to what they describe as “the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party in both Latin America and the Caribbean trade and economic development”.
“The US Congresspersons have come to this realization years after Caribbean representatives in Washington – me included – have been saying to successive US Governments and Congress that the US has been absent as a meaningful contributor to the Caribbean development for almost two decades,” the Antigua and Barbuda diplomat wrote in his weekly column.
He said the vacuum the US left has been filled by the Peoples Republic of China, and it would be unreasonable for the US government or Congress “to expect Caribbean countries to defer or delay their urgent development needs, waiting for the US to refocus its attention on the region.
“Further, the terms of China’s loans to many Caribbean nations have been far more concessionary even than World Bank and IMF loans to lower and lower middle-income countries, and China does not use per capita income as a criterion for disqualifying high income but vulnerable and underdeveloped Caribbean countries, from eligibility for loans and grants.”
But as he defended Beijing’s role in the region, Erdong said his country “respects the traditional influence and real interests of the US in this region.
“Likewise, we expect that the US also respects China’s position and role. Ambassador Sanders seems to have expressed dissatisfaction with the limited assistance by the United States to the Caribbean and also mentioned that the United States “poaches Caribbean doctors, nurses and teachers” and takes “one-sided strategies that are long on words, but short on allocation and delivery of funds to the region”.
“I forbear comment on that. Nonetheless, one point I fully agree with Ambassador Sanders on, is that the Caribbean should never become an appendage to Latin America. Just like the Caribbean is in the neighborhood of the US, China also has its own neighbors.
“China’s neighborhood policy is based on the fundamental concept that the region where China is located is where we survive and thrive and is crucial for China’s stability and prosperity,” he said, adding that in 2013, President Xi Jinping summed up China’s neighborhood policy in four words: amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness.
Erdong said China endeavors to enhance common ground, openness and inclusiveness when getting along with its neighbors, noting that “although geographically thousands of miles apart, the bilateral relations between Antigua and Barbuda is nothing short of close neighbors.
“China applauds and supports the development of Antigua and Barbuda with utmost sincerity. Based on full understandings of the expectations of Antigua and Barbuda – and as long as the envisaged cooperation program is conducive to promoting the economy of Antigua and Barbuda and improving the livelihood of its people – China has provided support to the best of our abilities.”
The Chinese diplomat said that his country’s cooperation with Antigua and Barbuda respects the sovereignty of the Caribbean country “and has no political strings attached.
“Whether China’s cooperation with Antigua and Barbuda is a “cake” or a “trap” has been answered by acts and practices. In fact, when launching a cooperation project in or extending financing support to another country, China always conducts a careful feasibility study and market research, so that each project will deliver economic and social benefits as expected.
“Similarly, we provide loans only if we believe it benefits the recipient country. In case our cooperation partners face difficulties in servicing debts, China does not press them for debt payment. Instead, we consult with them to find a solution acceptable to both sides and offer mutual support and assistance,” he added.
