China rejects U.S. congressman's claims of interference in Guyana

China rejects U.S. congressman’s claims of interference in Guyana

May 18, 2026 News

…says partnership delivering jobs, hospitals, growth

(Kaieteur News) – China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Yang Yang, has strongly rejected accusations by U.S. Congressman Gabe Evans that Beijing is expanding “creeping Chinese influence” in Guyana, describing the claims as “entirely unfounded” and rooted in “prejudice and misinformation.”

In an opinion piece published in the Sunday edition of Kaieteur News, Ambassador Yang defended China’s growing partnership with Guyana, arguing that the relationship has been built on mutual respect, development cooperation and shared prosperity rather than geopolitical rivalry.

China rejects U.S. congressman's claims of interference in Guyana

China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Yang Yang

The ambassador’s remarks come days after Congressman Evans wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that Chinese involvement in Guyana could threaten American interests in the resource-rich South American nation.

Evans had claimed that China was using a “tried-and-true playbook” of infrastructure financing and investment to gain political leverage, while urging Washington to “vigilantly monitor” Beijing’s activities in Guyana.

But Yang countered that China-Guyana ties have delivered tangible benefits to ordinary Guyanese and should not be distorted through the lens of superpower competition.

“The truth is simple: although China and Guyana are separated by great distance, our two countries have long walked side by side on the path toward development and prosperity,” the ambassador wrote.

She pointed to the strengthening of diplomatic relations under President Irfaan Ali and Chinese President Xi Jinping, particularly following Ali’s 2023 visit to China, where agreements were reached to align the Belt and Road Initiative with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030.

Yang highlighted several major Chinese-backed projects in Guyana, including the new Demerara River Bridge, six regional hospitals and the China-Guyana Joe Vieira Friendship Park, saying the projects have created jobs, modernised infrastructure and supported economic growth.

According to the ambassador, Chinese investment in Guyana had reached approximately US$2.89B last year — an increase of more than 105 per cent year-on-year.

The envoy also sought to underscore China’s long-standing medical and cultural engagement in Guyana.

She noted that since 1993, China has dispatched 21 medical brigades comprising more than 300 healthcare professionals who collectively treated over 1.3 million patients and performed more than 70,000 surgeries across the country.

Yang said many Chinese doctors have also travelled to remote hinterland communities to provide free medical services.

Beyond healthcare, the ambassador pointed to expanding educational and cultural exchanges, including the work of the Confucius Institute at the University of Guyana, which she said has trained more than 5,000 students and hosted nearly 200 cultural events over the past 12 years.

“These growing exchanges are bringing the peoples of our two countries closer together than ever before,” Yang stated.

Without directly naming the United States, the ambassador appeared to reject suggestions that Guyana must choose between global powers.

“Modernization is not the privilege of a few countries, but the shared right of all,” she wrote, adding that China remains willing to work with Guyana and other developing nations “in the spirit of openness, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.”

Political observers say this latest exchange between the Beijing and Washington signals a growing diplomatic tug-of-war over Guyana as the country’s oil wealth and strategic importance continue to attract heightened international attention.

This newspaper recently reported that Brazil had reclaimed top spot globally for Chinese investment in 2025, attracting 10.9% of total outbound capital, followed by the ‌U.S. and Guyana, with 6.8% and 5.7%, respectively, according to data released on Thursday by the Brazil-China Business Council (CEBC).

Back in February this year Ambassador Yang had said that the partnership between the two countries has entered a “fast track” of development under the strategic leadership of Presidents Ali and Xi Jinping.

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