Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd yesterday met with Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Chen Xilai, during which they discussed areas of mutual interest and cooperation.
This is according to a brief statement released from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting comes on the heels of the Guyana Government announcing that it had terminated an agreement for Taiwan to set up an investment office here.
It was the United States Embassy in Georgetown which revealed on Wednesday night that the Guyana Government had granted approval for Taiwan to set up an investment office in Guyana.
The US applauded the move, noting that deepening ties between Guyana and Taiwan will advance their shared goals of prosperity and security.
When he was contacted by the local media, Minister Todd had confirmed that the Guyana Government had signed an agreement for Taiwan to set up an office here.
But the reports of the Taiwanese Office in Guyana had triggered widespread concerns about Guyana’s foreign policy and its relations with the 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.
But Minister Todd had assured that with a Taiwan Office in Guyana, there will be no bilateral relations between the two countries.
In a Reuters report on the matter, Minister Todd is quoted as saying: “Guyana is not recognising Taiwan as an independent state.”
But then – in a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it is terminating the agreement to establish the Taiwan Office here.
The statement reads: “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.”
China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province which it has vowed to retake. But Taiwan’s leaders say it is clearly much more than a province, arguing that it is a sovereign state.
