China and Guyana’s relationship post-COVID-19

Oct 27, 2020 Letters

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Dear Editor,

At the time of writing this letter 26th October, 2020, Guyana’s Ministry of Health has reported 29 new cases and a grand total of 4023 cases for the day 25th October 2020. CGTN news in China has reported 15 new cases and a grand total of 85,790 cases for the same day. In the United States of America, the WHO has reported 82,630 new cases and a grand total of 8,403,121 cases also as of 25th October, 2020. These case counts speak for themselves as an indicator of each state’s efforts to slow the spread of the pandemic thus far. Addressing the spread of the pandemic at this time requires a group effort not only within the borders of each country but also among countries that can afford to help during this time of difficulty. From the case count mentioned above at 15 new cases out of a population of approximately 1.4 billion people and the ongoing 5th Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC which will produce a plan for development over the next 5 years within China, it is apparent that China is in the process of moving on from the virus. The same unfortunately cannot be said of most other countries in the world. What did China do to achieve this enviable position?
The answer is not complicated. The Government of China made a concentrated effort to minimize the spread of the virus using the guidelines that are already well known. The use of masks was insisted upon. Social distancing was insisted upon. Contact tracing was utilized and non-essential activities were discouraged. All these activities were carried out by a population that clearly trusted in their Government’s guidance and the brave efforts of the nation’s health care workers and did their part to contribute to the collective effort. The result was one where now in China, airports are reopening and life has mostly returned to normal.
Amid the pandemic in the United States, November will witness another presidential election. Fierce campaigning, the likes of which has never been witnessed before is fully underway in that country and titanic amounts of rhetoric are being generated from both Democrat and Republican parties. This rhetoric has even reached our own shores via comments made by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his state visit to Guyana of recent. Mr. Pompeo’s statements warning against doing business with Chinese companies was responded to by China’s embassy in Guyana by clarifying that there are no political strings in bilateral pragmatic cooperation.
At a time when global economic forecasts are dim and the only hope of returning to normalcy is to overcome this pandemic, bilateral pragmatic cooperation sound like the optimal path forward for Guyana and China. It should always be remembered when deciphering rhetoric that the United States of America and China are rivals while China and Guyana are not rivals but in fact partners. The rhetoric between these superpowers is intended for their interpretation and response as rivals and should not be taken to indicate official long-term positions. The recent comments by U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Suriname and Guyana did indeed prompt an instantaneous response by the Chinese embassy in Suriname and Guyana via their respective social media pages. We Guyanese would be well served to remember that this is an election year in the United States and the rhetoric disseminated by the parties seeking election victory there will be intended for the ears of potential voters just as much as it is intended for our ears. It should be safer to craft our opinions on the relationship between America and China based on facts and not distilled rhetoric.
I always think twice when I read a statement made by the American government of the day that is directed at the Chinese and vice versa, because I remember that the relationship between those two countries is unique and complex. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the exchange of goods and services between China and the U.S totaled $737.1 billion in 2018. It may even be possible to say that the United States and China are married and divorce is not an option. Like the other virus in its family, the Covid-19 pathogen does not eat, sleep or even breathe and cannot be expected to respect human constructs like state borders or economic forecasts. This virus is the common enemy of all humanity and can only be contained via a coordinated effort by all humanity in all countries. Thus far, the country that has exhibited the most effective effort to contain the virus is undoubtedly China. Logically, having China as one’s ally in the fight against the virus would be of considerable benefit via the sharing of knowledge, experiences and sourcing of appropriate PPE. If even the most powerful countries in the world need to work together to overcome the virus, then it is safe to assume that Guyana will need to engage in some pragmatic bilateral cooperation during our own effort to overcome the virus. Without the cooperation between Guyana and China, it may not be possible to overcome the virus and return to the type of life we enjoyed before this pandemic appeared.
Yours truly,
Justin Gomes

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