The Guyana Government has announced that it has terminated an agreement to set up a Taiwan Office in Guyana.
The United States Embassy in Georgetown, in a statement yesterday, had revealed that an agreement was signed for Taiwan to establish an office in Guyana.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd later confirmed to media entities that Taiwan will be setting up an investment office in Guyana. He had assured that there will be no bilateral diplomatic relations between Guyana and Taiwan.
However, the reports of the Taiwanese Office in Guyana had triggered a number of concerns about Guyana’s foreign policy and its relations with People’s Republic of China and by extension, the “One China Policy”.
Guyana traditionally has close ties with China, and supports the “One China Policy”, which does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. In a Reuters report, Minister Todd is quoted as saying “Guyana is not recognising Taiwan as an independent state. Guyana is not establishing diplomatic relations with Taipei.”
However, in a statement released today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the termination of the agreement to establish the Taiwan Office here.
The statement says that the Guyana Government “has noted various media releases on the matter of a Taiwan Office in Guyana.”
“The Government of Guyana wishes to clarify that it continues to adhere to the One China
policy and its diplomatic relations remain intact with the People’s Republic of China. The Government has not established any diplomatic ties or relations with Taiwan and as a
result of the miscommunication of the agreement signed, this agreement has since been
terminated,” the Ministry said.
