Relations between Barbados and China began on 4 September 1967 with Barbados recognizing the People's Republic of China from 30 May 1977,[2] just over one decade after the eastern Caribbean island nation's independence from the United Kingdom.[3]
Chinese-Barbadian trade relations have intensified over the decades and are growing,and have expanded in both:growing bilateral trade and strategic cooperation.[4] Given the inherent limit of natural resources in Barbados,various Chinese administrations have taken interest in investing in the construction of infrastructure to support Barbados' human capital like aiding in the construction of the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium (1986),and other projects such as:construction assistance for the Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference and Cultural Centre (1994),and renovating Bridgetown's Cheapside Market building (2005). Some media sources[5] have claimed Barbados was highly indebted to China however Barbadian officials have accused this information as being a "falsehood" and "innuendos" and stated that less than 2.5% of the external debt of the country (~$300m) is owed to China.[6]
Barbados adheres with the One China policy as it recognizes the PRC as the sole legitimate government of "China" rather than the Republic of China (ROC). The PRC has an embassy to Bridgetown;and Barbados has an embassy in Beijing,along with a consulate in Hong Kong,SAR[7] The current Chinese Ambassador to Barbados is Yan Xiusheng,[1] who heads the embassy in suburb of Christ Church,Barbados.
In 2004 Barbados was added to China's list of officially approved tourist destinations by the government in China.[9][10][11] with Barbados' former Prime Minister pushing for an open air accord between both nations.[12]
Over the years a number of building projects have been carried out with Chinese government assistance these include:The Wildey Gymnasium,[13] two adjustments on the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference And Cultural Centre,a Home Vegetable Growing Experimental Center,embroidery,grass weaving and feather handicraft. A consideration was also giving according to the Prime Minister of Barbados,David Thompson for China to assist with the opening of a new cruise ship facility in Barbados.[14]
Following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake,the Barbadian prime minister visited the Chinese Embassy to personally sign the book of condolence to the nation.[15]
In 2014 the two governments signed visa waiver agreements for travel by nationals from both nations.[19][20][21] Later in 2014 there was also an agreement signed in Barbados to establish a branch of the Confucius Institute at the University of the West Indies.[22][23][24][25][26]
In 2018 the newly elected Mottley administration stated its desire to enter the then five year old Belt and Road Initiative.[30]
In February 2019 Barbados and China signed a MOU for Barbados to officially join the Belt and Road Initiative.[31][32]He Lifeng,chairman of the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC),and Jerome Walcott,minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade of Barbados,held talks in Beijing,and the two sides exchanged views on jointly building Belt and Road cooperation between China and Barbados. Later that year China's resident Ambassador to Barbados,announced 11 graduate students would be sponsored to study in China. This recent figure brings to a total of over 90 Barbadians who have taken part in the studying in China programme.[33] Other goals outlined in 2019 included China providing technical assistance and funding for building a laboratory to ensure international product accreditation standards and address sanitary and phytosanitary rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).[34]
In late 2020 the British media[38] reported that United States military intelligence[39][40] spread an allegation to the Boris Johnson United Kingdom government that Barbados was dropping the Queen as Chief of State to appease China.[41][42]
China is considered one of Barbados's closest allies and partners. China is also one of Barbados's increasingly important trading and export partners. In 2017 China was third only to the US and Trinidad &Tobago as Barbados' largest import market,with an import share of 5.65 per cent,according to World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) data.[43]
Year
Barbadian Exports to China / Chinese Imports from Barbados
Barbadian Imports from China / Chinese Exports to Barbados
Both nations have additionally signed bilateral agreements including a Double taxation agreement (updated 2010 ) and a Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments treaty.
The Chinese government remains one of the main stakeholders in the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB),which lends to the various territories throughout the Caribbean region.[44][45]
In 2004 Chinese interests expanded into Barbados' construction industry. Two notable firms include China Construction Barbados Co. Ltd.[46] and ChinaDOS Construction Limited. (A mixture of the name China and Barbados),Which has performed a number of construction projects in Barbados.[47]
In August 2008 the Barbados-based Caribbean Export and Chinese officials signed a deal to increase the export capacity in the region to the Chinese market.[48]
In 2010 a high-level Chinese delegation from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) visited the Government of Barbados' tourism unit to ink a branding opportunity for a Barbados tourism website targeting Chinese visitors to Barbados.
Barbados was the first nation of 2019 to sign on the China's Belt and Road Cooperative initiative.[49] Later the same year the Association for Barbados-China Friendship (ABCF) was formed in Barbados[50]
Barbados abstained in the vote on the Chinese seat change in the United Nations.
Following the Chinese Civil War, commencing on 4 September 1967 for a brief period Barbados witnessed one-way incoming diplomatic relations from the Republic of China (R.O.C.), commonly called Taiwan. Barbados hadn't, yet established diplomatic relations with the larger "mainland" People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) until after breaking off relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) on January 11, 1977, Barbados moved to instead recognise the mainland government in the People's Republic of China on 30 May 1977 when the Government of Barbados then ceased to recognize Taiwan as the legitimate government of China.
The following is a statement made by the late Henry DeBoulay Forde, S.C., P.C., former Attorney General and Minister of External Affairs on the China issue in a report issued by the Government of Barbados outlined in 1977 to summarize the country's One-China policy until then.[54]
"Barbados had maintained diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, since 4 September 1967. A Taiwanese Embassy was established in Barbados in 1968, but a Barbadian ambassador had never been accredited towards Taiwan. On the occasion of the United Nations debate on the admission of the People's Republic of China to that body, the Barbados delegation expressed the hope that a compromise formula would have been found to have enabled the government of the People's Republic of China. - Neither Taiwan nor the People's Republic of China has, however, been willing to reach this accommodation or to accept the principle of the existence of "two Chinas".
On 25 October 1971, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly "to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognise its representatives as the only legitimate representatives of China."
Under the circumstances the Government of Barbados of the day considered that "it can no longer validly treat the Government of Taiwan as the Government of all China. The government of Taiwan had therefore been officially informed that, as from today[11 January 1977], it will no longer be recognised by the Government of Barbados as the Government of China. It is believed, and my Government believes that failure to take this position would be to turn a blind eye to the realities of the international situation and be contrary to our best interest." Since the 1980s Barbados has upheld to the position of there being only one-china based in Beijing.[55]
Joint military cooperation
In October 2006 the Barbadian government found itself sanctioned by U.S. President George W. Bush for not signing an Article 98 Agreements with the United States military to exempt U.S. personnel from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Following the sanctions on Barbados and several other Caribbean nations by the United States the Chinese Government provided Barbados with the financial assistance in-lieu of the situation.[56]
In 2009 the military units of both countries moved to strengthen their military cooperation.[57][58] Then in December 2016 expanded this military cooperation with the Chinese government presenting the government of Barbados with $3 million worth of military equipment which had been the largest gift to the Barbados military to date.[59]
Diplomatic characterization
Former Barbadian Prime Minister J.M.G.M 'Tom' Adams during a visit to China expressed a satisfaction over the development of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties. Praising the Chinese policy of "non-interference in other countries' internal affairs", Adams stated: "it is often comparatively difficult to maintain good relations between big and small countries since good bilateral relations lie in ironing out mutual differences and eliminating the control over the small countries by the big ones. The relations of Barbados and other Caribbean countries with China are different. China has never interfered in any way in the internal affairs of Barbados and other countries, and never has it disrupted peace of Barbados and the Caribbean region."[60]
Former Barbadian Prime Minister Owen S. Arthur urged his Chinese counterparts to provide development-aide to the smaller Caribbean economies regional fund and opinioned that: "Any cooperation in tourism should not be only about the movement of people, but we must assist each other in the development of our industries…… and when we have special events we must make it possible for our citizens to attend these activities. This would help build a base for a stronger relationship in the future," Mr. Arthur said.[61] Chinese Premier Wen said that China would like to join hands with Barbados in deepening cooperation in the areas of trade, tourism, architecture, and cultural exchange.[61]
President Xi Jinping of China characterised the relationship with Barbados in 2021 as "a good friend, and partner of China."[62]
The Wildey Gymnasium in Barbados which was built in 1992 with assistance of the P.R.C.
Home Vegetable Growing Experimental Centre Project (1983–1987)
Embroidery and Grass Weaving Project (1985–1987) and
Feather Handicraft Project (1992–1995).
Elsie Payne Ministry of Education Complex Redevelopment[64]
Sam Lord's Castle Redevelopment Project (2017)
Bilateral agreements
Date
Agreement name
Notes
1977-May-30
Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and Barbados
1980-June-13
Cultural Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados
1986-May-16
Agreement between China and Barbados on the Construction of a Gymnasium in Barbados with Chinese Assistance
1990-May-11
Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on Economic and Technological Cooperation
1992-July-27
Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on Economic and Technological Cooperation
1996-May
Exchange of Notes between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on on Providing Gratuitous Assistance to the Barbados Government by the Chinese Government
1997-April-30
Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on the Retention of Honorary Consulate in Hong Kong SAR of China by Barbados
1998-July
Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on Encouragement and Mutual Protection of Investment
2000-May-15
Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Tax Evasion
2000-October
Exchange of Notes between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on on Providing Gratuitous Assistance to the Barbados Government by the Chinese Government
2005-February
Memorandum of Understanding between the National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Tourism of Barbados on the Facilitation of Group Travel by Chinese Tourists to Barbados
2006-June-6
2 Agreements between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Barbados on Economic and Technological Cooperation
Barbados appointed its 4th former Prime Minister Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford as its first resident Barbadian Ambassador to Beijing, China in July, 2010.[65][66]
China has both a resident embassy and Economic and Commercial Affairs Office in Christ Church, which is headed by the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Barbados.
↑ Holder, Sherie (30 March 2012). "Barbados explores projects for Chinese funding". Business. The Daily Nation (Barbados) Newspaper. Retrieved 30 March 2021. A government statement said that Sir Lloyd also noted that since Barbados attained its political independence from Britain in 1996[SIC], "the guiding tenets of Barbados' foreign policy have been the maintenance of its sovereignty and independence; safeguarding its peace and security; protecting its democracy and human rights; and the pursuit of its human development and economic growth".
↑ King, Mike (20 June 2011). "Air accord with China a priority". Business. The Daily Nation newspaper. Retrieved 30 March 2021. Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says that Barbados is making ground in establishing an air service agreement with China that will allow this country to tap into the 50 million Chinese who travel every year.
↑ Staff writer (15 September 2005). "Wildey Gym Spruce-up". Nation Newspaper. Ministry of Commerce of P.R. China. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2009. [ . . . ] The lighting will be improved, and the air-conditioning should be better now," Walrond said. He noted that the experienced technical team from the People's Republic of China would be working with China State Construction who built the gym, as well as with about 30 Barbadians. [ . . . ]
↑ Writer, Staff, ed. (28 May 2014). "Barbados and China sign visa waiver agreement". Travel. Caribbean360.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2021. Barbados and China Tuesday signed a visa waiver agreement that Bridgetown said would allow for increased cooperation between the two countries. Foreign Affairs and Foreign and Foreign Trade Minister, Maxine McClean, said the Mutual Visa Abolition Agreement with China will allow diplomatic, governmental and cultural personnel to negotiate viable opportunities for partnership and investment.
↑ Staff Writer (11 August 2019). "Businesses in Barbados can benefit from China". Business. Barbados Today. Retrieved 31 March 2021. Commending China for opening up its markets and aiding developing countries, through the Belt and Road Agreement, Sutherland expressed the hope that technical assistance and funding could be provided to Barbados for the building of a laboratory to ensure accreditation and address the sanitary and phytosanitary rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Acknowledging that such a lab would benefit agriculture as a whole, and balance trade between China and Barbados, the Commerce Minister told Ambassador Yan: "We welcome you because with respect to the WTO rules and our drive to remove all our technical barriers to trade, we don't believe we should try to prevent China's imports because of a trade imbalance, but what we seek to do is to learn from you and see how we can have our businesses export-ready."
↑ Moore, Regina Selman (23 August 2021). "Bus Availability To Improve With New Fleet Of Electric Buses". News. The Barbados Advocate (published 23 August 2020). Retrieved 31 March 2021. The buses arrived in Barbados on July 8th, 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, were removed from the Barbados Port on July 10th, were inspected, weighed and licensed over the next few days and they will now become operational, for members of the travelling public.
↑ Evanson, Heather-Lynn (10 July 2020). "Electric buses moved to Weymouth". News. The Daily Nation (Barbados) Newspaper. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
↑ Staff writer (12 December 2021). "Did China push Barbados to ditch The Queen?". Editorial. Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 31 January 2022. China attracts a good deal of bad press in the West, sometimes deservedly, at other times unfairly, as in the recent suggestion by a highly regarded British newspaper that Barbados dropped The Queen as head of state and became a republic at China's behest.
↑ van Leeuwen, Hans (29 September 2020). "Is China behind Barbados' move to ditch the Queen?". The Australian Financial Review (AFP). Retrieved 31 January 2022. According to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Johnson has already acted on "US intelligence" that Chinese pressure may have steered Barbados, this week instructing British diplomats to urge greater transparency on China's aid and lending programs.
↑ "A source told the paper that CIA intelligence about China's influence over the tiny Caribbean island has been passed to Britain."
↑ Ridgwell, Henry, ed. (1 October 2020). "Barbados Decision to Remove Queen Elizabeth as Head of State Blamed on China". Europe. Voice of America. Retrieved 31 March 2021. Barbados signed up to China's Belt and Road Initiative last year. Many analysts say that while China has been investing heavily in the region in competition with Western nations, claims that Beijing has forced Barbados' decision to become a republic are wide of the mark. "I don't think China's the reason Barbados is changing who's going to be the head of state," Scott MacDonald, senior associate at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a Skype interview with VOA. "China's role in the Caribbean is large. They have economic statecraft. They come with a large checkbook. But as one Barbadian ambassador said to me, 'You know, if nothing else fails, (Britain's stance is) just blame the Chinese.'"
↑ Ambassador (30 May 2008). "Mutual Visits (1)". Bridgetown, Barbados: Embassy of the People's Republic of China: Barbados. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
1 2 Staff writer (18 June 2007). "China and Barbados Strengthen Ties". Traveldailynews. news.travel168.net. China Business Network. World Travel Online. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
↑ Staff Writer (14 July 2021). "Xi Jinping Speaks with Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley on the Phone" (Press release). Embassy of the People's Republic of China. Windhoek, Namibia. Retrieved 3 December 2021. Xi Jinping pointed out that Barbados is China's good friend and good partner in the eastern Caribbean. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Barbados 44 years ago, the two countries have witnessed constant high-level exchanges and fruitful cooperation.
↑ Holder, Sherie (17 August 2012). "Barbados and China forge new ties". Business. Barbados Daily Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 11 December 2021. Over the years, China has provided assistance for numerous development projects, including the construction of the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, and the Elsie Payne Complex.
↑ Carter, Gercine (12 November 2012). "Link that's Sir Lloyd". Lifestyle. The Daily Nation (Barbados) Newspaper. Retrieved 30 March 2021. Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford is settling down to the business of building cultural and economic ties between the People's Republic of China and Barbados. This country's first resident Ambassador to China returns to that country tomorrow after coming home for the funeral of late Prime Minister David Thompson, the young Democratic Labour Party member whom Sandiford appointed to his first ministerial position.
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), has full diplomatic relations with 180 out of the other 192 United Nations member states, Cook Islands, Niue and the State of Palestine. As of 2024, China has had the most diplomatic missions of any state.
Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, KA, PC was a Barbadian politician. He served as the fourth prime minister of Barbados from 1987 to 1994, and later served as Barbados' first resident ambassador in Beijing, China, from 2010 to 2013.
The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to the nation of Barbados.
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 or the Republic of China. As of 2024, nine states in the Caribbean recognized the PRC and four recognized the ROC.
The United States and Barbados have had cordial bilateral relations since Barbados' independence in 1966. The United States has supported the government's efforts to expand the country's economic base and to provide a higher standard of living for its citizens. Barbados is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative. U.S. assistance is channeled primarily through multilateral agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) office in Bridgetown.
This article deals with the diplomatic affairs, foreign policy and international relations of Barbados.
Barbados–Guyana relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Barbados and Guyana. The former maintains non-resident diplomatic representation from Bridgetown, while Guyana which prior had a High Commissioner to Barbados appointed its first resident Consul-General, Michael Brotherson to Bridgetown in January 2012.
The Republic of Vanuatu and the People's Republic of China (PRC) established official diplomatic relations on March 26, 1982. China established an embassy in Vanuatu in 1989, while Vanuatu established an honorary consulate in China in 1999; it officially became an embassy in 2005. The current Ambassador of China in Vanuatu is Liu Quan. The current Ambassador of Vanuatu in China is former Minister of Finance Willie Jimmy.
The historical ties between the governments of Barbados and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) are long and complex, including settlement, post-colonialism and modern bilateral relations. The two countries are related through common history spanning 339 years (1627–1966). Since the Barbadian date of political independence, these nations continue to share ties through the Commonwealth of Nations. Until becoming a Commonwealth republic in 2021, Barbados also shared the same Head of State, with Queen Elizabeth II as their Monarch.
Foreign relations exist between Australia and Barbados. Neither country has a resident ambassador. The regional Australian High Commissioner to Barbados is accredited from Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. Barbados is represented in Australia through its High Commission in Ottawa, (Canada). Barbados maintains an honorary consul and a tourist office in Australia. Barbados and Australia established diplomatic relations on 7 January 1974. Both countries are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and comprised as former parts of the British Empire.
Barbadian–Surinamese relations are diplomatic relations between Barbados and Suriname. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 February 1977. Neither country has a resident ambassador. Barbados is accredited to Suriname from Bridgetown. Suriname is represented in Barbados through its embassy in Port of Spain,.
Foreign relations between Barbados and Japan were formally established on 29 August 1967. Japan is accredited to Barbados from its Embassy in Bridgetown (Barbados) and an honorary consulate in the parish of Saint George. Barbados is represented in Japan through a non-resident ambassador in Bridgetown. Japan's new Ambassador for Barbados, Mitsuhiko Okada had announced a new direct embassy to Barbados would be established located in Bridgetown in February 2016.
Barbadian-French relations are the bilateral relations between the two countries, Barbados and France. Both countries have established diplomatic relations on May 3, 1968. Barbados is represented in France through its embassy in Brussels (Belgium). France is represented in Barbados through its embassy in Castries, led by and an additional honorary consulate in Bridgetown.
Bilateral relations between Belize and Republic of China (Taiwan) have been maintained since 1989. Belize has adhered to the One China policy where it is one of the few countries that recognizes the ROC government as the sole legitimate government of "China" instead of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on the mainland.
Barbados–Brazil relations are the foreign relations between Barbados and Brazil. Barbados and Brazil established diplomatic relations on 26 November 1971. Brazil has a resident Embassy in Hastings, Christ Church; while Barbados, which traditionally accredited its Ambassador in Caracas as its non-resident Ambassador to Brazil, opened an actual embassy in Brasília, Brazil on 27 April 2010. Relations between both nations have steadily increased between both nations, especially during 2010. Barbados and Brazil are members of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
Maxine Pamela Ometa McClean is a Barbadian politician who served as her country's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2018.
The nations of Barbados and the Mexico established diplomatic relations in 1972. Both nations are members of the Association of Caribbean States, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Organization of American States and the United Nations.
Barbados-Cuban relations refers to the bilateral relations between Barbados and the Republic of Cuba. Barbados has an embassy in Havana and Cuba has an embassy in Bridgetown. Barbados and the Republic of Cuba are both members of the Association of Caribbean States, Belt and Road Initiative, ECLAC, EU-CARIFORUM, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific State and CARICOM.
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