Sino-Caribbean relations

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Caribbean–China relations
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Caribbean
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg
China
Caribbean–Taiwan relations
Flag of CARICOM.svg
Caribbean
Flag of the Republic of China.svg
Taiwan

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]

Contents

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

In 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

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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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Taiwan</span>

Foreign relations of the Republic of China (ROC), more commonly known as Taiwan, are accomplished by efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, a cabinet-level ministry of the Government of the Republic of China. As of January 2024, the ROC has formal diplomatic relations with 11 of the 193 United Nations member states and with the Holy See, the central governing body of the Catholic Church. In addition to these relations, the ROC also maintains unofficial relations with 59 UN member states, one self-declared state (Somaliland), three territories (Guam, Hong Kong, and Macau), and the European Union via its representative offices and consulates. In 2021, the Government of the Republic of China had the 33rd largest diplomatic network in the world with 110 offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Trinidad and Tobago</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Community</span> Regional intergovernmental organisation

The Caribbean Community is an intergovernmental organisation that is a political and economic union of 15 member states and five associated members throughout the Americas, The Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean. It has the primary objective to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and coordinate foreign policy. The organisation was established in 1973, by its four founding members signing the Treaty of Chaguaramas. Its primary activities involve:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese unification</span> Potential union of mainland China and Taiwan

Chinese unification, also known as Cross-Strait unification or Chinese reunification, is the potential unification of territories currently controlled, or claimed, by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China ("Taiwan") under one political entity, possibly the formation of a political union between the two republics. Together with full Taiwan independence, unification is one of the main proposals to address questions on the political status of Taiwan, which is a central focus of Cross-Strait relations.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Belize</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean</span> United Nations regional commission

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japan–Taiwan relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Barbados</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russia–Taiwan relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbados–China relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sino-Latin America relations</span> Bilateral relations

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References

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  16. Ward, Jared (5 January 2019). "The PRC Bets on Climate Diplomacy in the Caribbean". Jamestown Foundation . Retrieved 14 September 2019.

Further reading