Barbados–China relations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sino-Barbados relations
Map indicating locations of Barbados and China

Barbados
China
Diplomatic mission
Envoy
Ambassador [1]
Barbados–China relations
Traditional Chinese巴巴多斯-中國關係
Simplified Chinese巴巴多斯-中国关系

Barbados–China relations or Sino-Barbadian relations refer to the ties and relations between the People’s Republic of China and Barbados. The relations between Barbados and China began on 30 May 1977,[2] roughly one decade after the eastern Caribbean island nation's independence from the British Empire.[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).

China has an embassy to Bridgetown; and Barbados has an embassy in Beijing, along with a consulate in Hong Kong, SAR[5] The current Chinese Ambassador to Barbados is Yan Xiusheng,[1] who heads the embassy in suburb of Christ Church, Barbados.

Barbados and China are members of the Belt and Road Initiative,[6] the Caribbean Development Bank, the Group of 77, and the United Nations.

History[]

In 2004 Barbados was added to China's list of officially approved tourist destinations by the government in China.[7][8][9] with Barbados' former Prime Minister pushing for an open air accord between both nations.[10]

Over the years a number of building projects have been carried out with Chinese government assistance these include: The Wildey Gymnasium,[11] 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.[12]

Following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the Barbadian prime minister visited the Chinese Embassy to personally sign the book of condolence to the nation.[13]

In July 2010 Barbados opened its first resident Barbadian Embassy in Chaoyang District, Beijing.[14][15][16]

In 2014 both governments signed visa waiver agreements for travel by nationals from both nations.[17][18][19] 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.[20][21][22][23][24]

In late 2015 the Chinese Navy hospital Ark ship visited the Bridgetown port.[6], [7], [8],

In February 2019 Barbados and China signed a MOU for Barbados to officially join the Belt and Road Initiative.[9][10] 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. The recent figure brings to a total of over 90 Barbadians who have taken part in the studying in China programme.[11] Other goals outlined in 2019 included China building 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).[25]

In 2020 the first batch of roughly 3 dozen BYD rechargeable electric buses were delivered to the Government's Barbados Transport Board.[26][27][12]

In late 2020 the British media reported that United States military intelligence[28] spread an allegation to the Boris Johnson United Kingdom government that Barbados was dropping the Queen as Chief of State to appease China.[29][30]

Trade and economic cooperation[]

Countries which signed cooperation documents related to the Belt and Road Initiative

China is considered one of Barbados's closest allies and partners. China is also one of Barbados's increasingly important trading and export partners.[13] 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.[31]

Year Barbadian Exports to China / Chinese Imports from Barbados Barbadian Imports from China / Chinese Exports to Barbados
1999 USD$13,000 USD$2,035,000
2005[2] USD$211,000 USD$19,000,000
xxxx IncreaseDecrease$x Increase$x
2017[31] USD$5.7 million USD$93 million
total between 2010 and 2020 xxx,xxx $xxx,xxx

Both nations have additionally signed bilateral agreements including a Double taxation agreement[14] (updated 2010 [15]) 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.[32][33]

In 2004 Chinese interests expanded into Barbados' construction industry. Two notable firms include China Construction Barbados Co. Ltd.[34] and ChinaDOS Construction Limited. (A mixture of the name China and Barbados), Which has performed a number of construction projects in Barbados.[35]

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.[36]

Barbados was the first nation of 2019 to sign on the China's Belt and Road Cooperative initiative.[16][37][38] Later the same year the Association for Barbados-China Friendship (ABCF) was formed in Barbados[39]

Barbadian officials have showcased Barbadian made brands at such major Chinese annual events as the CIIE, Beijing Expo 2019, and Shanghai World Expo.[40][17][18], [19]

Diplomacy[]

One-China stance[]

Main article: China and the United Nations
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 , 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 [20] to summize the country's One-China policy until then.

"Barbados had maintained diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, since 4 September 1967. A 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.[41]

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.[42]

In 2009 the military units of both countries moved to strengthen their military cooperation.[43][44] 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.[45]

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."[46]

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.[21]

[47]

The Wildey Gymnasium in Barbados which was built in 1992 with assistance of the P.R.C.

Projects in Barbados include [22]:

  • Feasibility Study Project for the Redevelopment of the Barbados National Stadium (2007,10)
  • Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium Project (1990—1992)
  • Sherbourn Conference Center Fitting-up Project (1993—1994)
  • Cheapside Market Renovation Project (2001—2002)
  • Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium Redevelopment Project (1996—1997; 2005, 7—2005, 9, 2011)
  • Home Vegetable Growing Experimental Center Project (1983—1987)
  • Embroidery and Grass Weaving Project (1985—1987) and
  • Feather Handicraft Project (1992—1995).
  • Elsie Payne Ministry of Education Complex Redevelopment [23]
  • 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

Common memberships[]

  • Bank for International Settlements
  • Belt and Road Initiative
  • Caribbean Development Bank
  • Food and Agriculture Organization
  • G-77+China
  • International Court of Justice
  • International Electrotechnical Commission
  • International Maritime Organization
  • International Monetary Fund
  • International Olympic Committee
  • International Renewable Energy Agency
  • International Telecommunication Union
  • Interpol
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
  • Small Island Developing States
  • United Nations
  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
  • Universal Postal Union
  • World Bank
  • World Customs Organization
  • World Health Organization
  • World Meteorological Organization
  • World Trade Organization

Resident diplomatic missions[]

  • Barbados appointed its 4th former Prime Minister Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford as its first resident Barbadian Ambassador to Beijing, China in July, 2010.[48][49]
  • 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.

Footnotes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Staff writer (2021). "Order of Precedence – Diplomatic Corp". Embassies & Consulates. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Barbados). Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Ambassador (30 May 2008). "Summary of China-Barbados Bilateral Relations". Bridgetown, Barbados: Embassy of the People's Republic of China: Barbados. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  3. ^ 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”.
  4. ^ Dottin, Bea (15 April 2012). "EDITORIAL: Let's hearken unto Sir Lloyd". Commentary. The Daily Nation (Barbados) Newspaper. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  5. ^ Barbados – Protocol Division Government Secretariat – Consular Posts and Officially Recognised Representatives
  6. ^ Barbados' Belt & Road Country profile
  7. ^ "List of Chinese countries with ADS status". . 6 August 2009. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2012. (list)
  8. ^ Caribbean Journal staff (17 December 2011). "What China Means for Caribbean Tourism". Caribbean Journal. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  9. ^ N., A. (1 June 2012). "Chinese tourism remains a goal". Barbados Advocate. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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. [ . . . ]
  12. ^ "Barbados to open embassy in China". Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  13. ^ Staff Writer (21 May 2008). "Prime Minister David Thompson signed condolence book" (Press release). Embassy of PRC: Bridgetown, BB. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  14. ^ R., S. (7 December 2009). "Sir Lloyd in meetings about China posting". Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  15. ^ Writer, Staff, ed. (15 July 2010). "Vice Foreign Minister Li Jinzhang Attends Opening Ceremony of Barbados Embassy in China" (Press release). PRC: Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  16. ^ Holder, Sherie, ed. (14 December 2011). "Sir Lloyd: Engage China now". Business. Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  17. ^ Writer, Staff, ed. (28 May 2014). "Barbados and China sign visa waiver agreement". Travel. Caribbean360.com. Archived from the original on 26 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.
  18. ^ Carrington, Julie, ed. (29 May 2014). "Barbados and China sign visa waiver agreement". Caribbean News Now. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  19. ^ T., J. R., ed. (28 May 2014). "Officials working to make travel easier". Local. Local. The Barbados Advocate. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  20. ^ Writer, Staff, ed. (17 July 2014). "Confucius Institute Coming to Barbados". Caribbean Journal. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  21. ^ Beckles, Natahsha, ed. (12 July 2014). "Confucius Institute 'relevant'". Business. The Daily Nation (Barbados). Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  22. ^ Writer, Staff, ed. (10 July 2014). "UWI, China partner to construct Confucius Institute in Barbados". News. Caribbean360.com News. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  23. ^ Writer, Staff, ed. (13 July 2014). "H.E. Ambassador Wang Ke's Remarks on the Occasion of the Ground Breaking Ceremony For the Construction of the Confucius Institute at the UWI Cave Hill Campus" (Press release). PRC: Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  24. ^ [1]
  25. ^ 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.”
  26. ^ Price, Sanka (19 April 2020). "New buses still in China, says Gooding-Edghill". The Daily Nation (Barbados) Newspaper. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ [2][3] "A source told the paper that CIA intelligence about China’s influence over the tiny Caribbean island has been passed to Britain."
  29. ^ 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, a senior associate at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a recent 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 blames the Chinese.’”
  30. ^ [4]
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b [5]
  32. ^ Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): Non-Regional Members Archived 30 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  33. ^ Staff writers (17 February 2009). "Closer cooperation likely between China and Barbados". CaribbeanNetNews.com. Archived from the original on 5 May 2009. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  34. ^ "China State Construction Engineering Corporation's organizations". Archived from the original on 15 July 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  35. ^ Registered company search Archived 2 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine – By the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office in Barbados
  36. ^ B., J. (5 August 2009). "Chinese agreement to be signed with Caribbean Export". The Barbados Advocate. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  37. ^ Diplomat stresses efforts to bring China-Barbados cooperation to new stage
  38. ^ Reigniting the Barbados China Connection
  39. ^ Association for Barbados-China Friendship (ABCF).
  40. ^ Xu, Wei (25 September 2018). Armour, Ben (ed.). "1st Batch of Barbados' CIIE Display Goods Sets Sail for Shanghai From Panama". Central America / Caribbean States. Yicai Global. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  41. ^ Staff Writer (13 February 2009). "Press Release (No.7) MFA: IMPROVED BARBADOS - CHINA RELATIONS" (PDF) (Press release). Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  42. ^ Best, Tony (24 October 2008). "US calls off Barbados ban". Nation Newspaper. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
  43. ^ Chinese and BDF working together Archived 26 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  44. ^ B., Y. (14 November 2009). "Chinese aid for BDF". Nation Newspaper. One Caribbean Media. Archived from the original on 17 November 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  45. ^ Willis, Kiersten (23 December 2016). "Barbados Receives Largest Military Donation from Chinese". News / World. Atlanta Black Star. Diamond Diaspora Media. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  46. ^ Summary of China-Barbados Bilateral Relations, Mutual Visits (1), 30 May 2008
  47. ^ 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.
  48. ^ "Chinese president accepts credentials from five new ambassadors". Xinhua News Agency. 3 March 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  49. ^ 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.

See also[]

References[]

External links[]

Retrieved from ""