by WANG Erdong (Charge d’Affaires ad interim, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Antigua and Barbuda)
To Antigua and Barbuda, China and the United States could both be partners
The recent article by 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 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.
China 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. In 2013, President Xi Jinping summed up China’s neighborhood policy in four words: amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness.
Firstly, “Amity” means having good-neighborly interactions; providing mutual support; conducting frequent reciprocal visits; cultivating friendly ties which are informed by equality, cultural affinity, empathy; and doing more to warm the hearts of our neighbors.
Secondly, “Sincerity” means treating our neighbors with sincerity and good faith; and form friendships and partnerships that are based on mutual trust.
Thirdly, to pursue “mutual benefit” means mobilizing resources in areas of economy, trade, science and technology, and finance; and fully leveraging the comparative advantages so as to promote intertwined interests. Let our neighbors benefit from China’s development and China from theirs.
Fourthly, “inclusiveness” advocates that the Asia-Pacific region is big enough for the common development of all.
China endeavors to enhance common ground, openness and inclusiveness when getting along with its neighbors. 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 fruitful results of bilateral cooperation in agriculture, medical care, infrastructure construction, technology and human resources – and their contribution to the twin-island nation – have spoken for themselves. In Antigua and Barbuda, one can see Chinese workers toiling hard in the sun on bilateral cooperation projects. China’s cooperation with Antigua and Barbuda respects the sovereignty of Antigua and Barbuda and has no political strings attached.
The two sides are equal and we always pursue mutual benefit. More emphasis is being placed on “Yi”, or “upholding justice and cherishing friendship”, than on gaining interests. “Yi” reflects a Chinese moral concept. It is not a good sign that some people in the world are doing well while others are not. China will never take actions which only serve our interests but might harm Antigua and Barbuda.
With its capital, technology and experience, China helps inject impetus to the development of Antigua and Barbuda.
However, some people in the US are concerned that Antigua and Barbuda may face default if they accept the concessional loans provided by China. This accusation of China creating the so-called “debt trap” is purely groundless and seems to be out of jealousy. It almost constitutes an insult to the capability of our friends in Antigua and Barbuda to negotiate a sound deal, just as Ambassador Sanders suggested.
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. Ambassador Sanders has an important mission to maintain bilateral cooperation between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States. This article pays homage to him.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
Grateful for their permission
Antigua will tell China who it is okay for us to be friends with, not the other way around. We’re happy to have China as a friend, however, these matters are determined by our own leaders. Perhaps the headline wasn’t well worded. Our police remains: we are a nonaligned nation – friends of all, enemies of none.
CErmle you are nothing but a dumbass and a megaphone for Gaston bottom.
When your leaders can’t pay back the loans, the Chinese will take our lands from us and let’s see how kissing Gaston batty will help you. Maybe you will get lucky and dead before that happens.
Well thank you China for telling us who we can be friends with!!!!!
Antigua and Barbuda is a non-aligned country, which simply means we are friends to all, and enemies of none. Long live Antigua independence and fraternal relations with all, based on mutual respect and fraternal co-operation. Antigua is a progressive, social-democratic nation, in the tradition of V.C. Bird and the founding mothers and fathers. Forward Ever!
Managed by a small group of greedy elites who take their orders from foreign entities in exchange for increasing their personal wealth.
Antigua is a democracy where the people rule through the ballot box. Our elections are free and fair. If you don’t like the outcome, run for office yourself. See what happens.
CErmle, you nothing but a batty kisser. All you do is kiss Gaston batty for selling us selliing us out.
very funny how certain people always find a way to distort a well-meant message.
Yep, bitterness
@Tenman: Do you speak Mandarin and or Cantonese? You had better begin to learn now. China cannot tell Antigua and Barbuda,to whom we should or should not be friendly with. We cannot tell China what they should do or not to do either.
How arrogant and condescending for this man from Communist China to be telling A&B who they can be friendly with. The intention of China to dominate the region, control the ports and bring their fishing trawlers to deplete the ocean to feed China is obvious. How about China compensating the world ($10 trillion would be a good start) for the (intentional?) costs and deaths caused from the corona virus escaping from the Wuhan lab and then sending the five million in January 2020 out into the outside world to infect, kill and weaken economies.
Hoping the day will come when China and their crappy overpriced loans projects built by indentured labor, along with the eyesore so called embassy with leave Antigua and never return. Long live freedom in Taiwan and hoping Hong Kong will become free from the oppressive dictatorship and flourish in a democratic society again. Nothing from China comes without a cost to we, the people, be it land or their eventual hope to take over the Harbour if the way overpriced substandard project loan is not paid. China is a very racist country so the crap about A&B “friends” is absolute nonsense.
Perhaps the end of that headline should have read; as long as we can park our nuclear submarine in that nice new and very deep harbour that we built. No such thing as a free lunch Gaston.
Long live international friendship and solidarity. Friends of all and enemy of none. That’s who Antigua is.
Says CErmle, Gaston batty kisser.
Comments are closed.