China plays an increasing important role of economic and developmental importance in the region and the relations with China have increased steadily over time. The Caribbean's relations with China, are largely defined as either: the People's Republic of China (PRC; "China") or the Republic of China (ROC; "Taiwan"). As of 2024, nine states in the Caribbean recognized the PRC and four recognized the ROC.[1]
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Historically, relations were mostly based upon trade, credits, and light investments, which have increased significantly since the 1990s. For many Caribbean nations, the increasing ties with China have been used as a way to decrease long time over-dependence on western developed nations, and as a move towards South-South cooperation alongside deepening of relations with neighbouring Latin America and Africa.
The Overseas Chinese population, in this case Chinese Caribbeans, have been resident in the Caribbean region for centuries[2][3][4] and have helped to make importaint contributions with cultural, trade, and political links in the region.[5][6][7] For example, Sir Solomon Hochoy of Trinidad and Tobago and Arthur Chung of Guyana were among the first of ethnic Chinese ancestry to lead countries in the Americas. In more modern times China and Taiwan have also expanded several levels of cooperation with the Caribbean nations.
China and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago were said to have formed an agreement where asphalt from Trinidad and Tobago would be exported to China during its construction boom in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[8][9] In exchange, China has led several construction projects in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region via Chinese owned construction companies. Trinidad and Tobago has also[clarification needed] mooted the idea of starting direct shipments of oil and liquid natural gas direct from Trinidad and Tobago to China, to fuel the later's growing need for resources to fuel their economy.
As the Caribbean political heads of government have had several messy run-ins[10][11][12][13] with the Bush administration in the United States with respect to recent demands, China has been more sympathetic to the Caribbean position globally and has stepped up military training exercises in the Caribbean for example in direct response to several sanctions placed on governments in the Caribbean region for not following the wishes of the Bush administration.[14][15]
Several capital-works or infrastructural projects across the Caribbean region have also been financed or extended full grants by the Chinese government.[16]
Visa free travel
editIn recent years both China and Taiwan have signed a collection of short-term bilateral reciprocal visa-free travel agreements along with nations in the Caribbean region.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Who are Taiwan's diplomatic allies?". 10 December 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
Taiwan's last allies include: Belize, eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland), Guatemala, Haiti, the Holy See (the central administration of the Roman Catholic Church), Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu.
- ^ Staff writer (2023). "Chinese Arrival". Subject Guide. www.nalis.gov.tt. National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) of Trinidad & Tobago. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ Rachelle (7 May 2015). "The Caribbean Connection to Asian Heritage". New Comer to Canada. www.torontopubliclibrary.ca. Toronto Public Library. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ Lai, Walton Look (4 February 2013). "Asian indentured immigration to the Caribbean, 1838–1917". The Encyclopedia of Global Human Migration. Wiley Online Library. doi:10.1002/9781444351071.wbeghm045. ISBN 9781444334890. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ Hu-DeHart, Evelyn; López, Kathleen (Spring 2008). "Asian Diasporas in Latin America and the Caribbean: An Historical Overview". Department of Spanish and Portuguese. The Afro-Hispanic Review. 21 (1). Nashville, Tennessee: William Luis at Vanderbilt University: 9–21. JSTOR 2118559. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ "Meet the 83-year-old reggae matriarch who brought Jamaican music to the world". Independent.co.uk. 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Miss Pat puts it on record". 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Trinidad and Tobago recognizes China's full market economy status". People's Daily Online. Retrieved 1 February 2005.
- ^ "Trinidad News, Trinidad Newspaper, Trinidad Sports, Trinidad politics, Trinidad and Tobago, Tobago News, Trinidad classifieds, Trinidad TV, Sports, Business". Archived from the original on 20 January 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2007.
- ^ Griffith, Ivelaw Lloyd, ed. (2003). Caribbean Security in the Age of Terror: Challenge and Change. Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers. pp. (361-362). ISBN 976-637-142-3. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Lack of diplomacy!". jamaica-gleaner.com. 8 April 2003. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Hemlock, Doreen (13 April 2003). "Economic Reprisals Debated". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Otto Reich: A Career in Disservice". Council on Hemispheric Affairs. 13 July 2004. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ Ribando, Clare M. (30 March 2006). "Political Science". Article 98 Agreements and Sanctions on U.S. Foreign Aid to Latin America. Semantic Scholar. S2CID 152541482.
- ^ Best, Tony (24 October 2008). "US calls off Barbados ban". Nation Newspaper. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
- ^ Ward, Jared (5 January 2019). "The PRC Bets on Climate Diplomacy in the Caribbean". Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
Further reading
edit- Mohammed, Kenneth (25 January 2022). "Reparations to the Caribbean could break the cycle of corruption – and China's grip". Global development & Opinion. The Guardian. U.K. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- Griffith, Rasheed (10 September 2021). Written at Washington D.C.. "How U.S. Banks Push the Caribbean Toward China". China Brief. 21 (17). Washington, D.C.: The Jamestown Foundation: 11–17. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- Ellis, Evan; Berg, Ryan C.; Pellecchia, Kristie (12 June 2021). "China reminds us why the Caribbean is vital to US strategic interests". The Hill (newspaper). Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- Joseph-Harris, Serena (2021). "China Caribbean Observatory: Country profiles of the Caribbean". www.chinacaribbeanobservatory.net. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- Doodnath, Alina (14 October 2023). "5 things to know about Caricom and the Belt and Road Initiative". caribbean.loopnews.com. Loop News. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
External links
edit- Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the People's Republic of China - Department of Latin American Affairs (Covering regions of Latin America and the Caribbean)