Guyana must walk between the rain drops amidst US-China tensions

“War is nothing but a continuation of politics with the admixture of other means.” - Carl von Clausewitz. Sanctions can be considered weapons of war by other means. They are ideologically motivated, but economically aimed at inflicting damage; in reality, sanctions end up hurting the population of the targeted country. The perennial question has always been, that with sanctions, who stands to gain, who stands to lose. We Guyanese don’t have to look far to find the answer. We know from our own experiences the impact sanctions are having on Cuba and Venezuela. It is in that context that we Guyanese need to acquaint ourselves with the big picture unfolding internationally and understand the impact it could have on our day to day lives. We must never forget that it was the outside world that stood by us in our struggle for free and fair elections and ultimately, the installation of a democratically elected government. We should not lose sight of developments further afield and the impact they would have as we pursue our national goals.

I refer to the looming US-China Cold War. Guyana from a geo-strategic perspective, must avoid any further diplomatic missteps that would result in it becoming embroiled in a war we had no role in stirring. Sections of the media are peddling a particular line to inculcate in the minds of Guyanese a hostile attitude towards China. A tour de horizon of global developments would show that moves are afoot to encircle and contain China, the second largest economy in the world. Guyana had its fingers slightly burnt when it sought to establish a Taiwanese Trade Office in Georgetown. The US and China were not silent on the matter. But the contretemps on the matter was much deeper and wider. Small wonder why President Xi found it necessary to engage his Guyanese counterpart in a teleconference. And in the meanwhile, President Biden has penciled

Taiwan as one of his agenda items. From all indications, the Guyana-Taiwan fiasco, though not of global significance, may have been part and parcel of the looming Cold War characterized by sanctions and counter sanctions and tit for tat diplomacy that has become hallmarks of US-China relations.

The ensuing relationship between the two world powers is likely to have a negative impact on international relations, but more specifically, for countries like Guyana. In this regard, Guyana must try walking between the rain drops in this competitive age. Fomenting national disdain for Chinese investments in Guyana and the Belt and Road Initiative is objectively contributing to fostering anti-China sentiments in Guyana. From a geo-strategic perspective that posture puts us exactly where we do not want to be as a nation. The call for the US and the UK to catch up with China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ will depend on

comparative costs and additional conditionalities the beneficiary countries will be called upon to bear. What is required now is vision for vigorous but healthy competition, not containment nor encirclement.

President Biden is on record stating that he knows President Xi “pretty well and that he’s very bright”. President Xi on the other hand once described Biden as a “my old friend.” Personal diplomacy therefore can play a positive role in easing tensions and promoting mutual understanding and cooperation in a world where both are badly needed. The US and China have shared challenges in areas such as global health security, climate change and preventing weapons of proliferation. What we need is a New Global Human Order based on partnerships for constructive and innovative ways to cope with the effects of globalization and liberalization which are marginalizing millions of people and even nations. As far as our interests are concerned President Ali’s recent call for narrowing ‘the gap between rich and poor countries and to revisit and reform the international debt framework to make it more responsive for developing country’s needs’ is consistent with the needs of developing countries given the current international situation.