Guyana

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2013, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Guyana enjoyed growing friendly relations and made progress in economic cooperation, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

Political exchanges continued. In June, during his visit to Trinidad and Tobago, President Xi Jinping met with Guyanese President Donald Ramotar. In March, President Ramotar and Prime Minsiter Samuel Hinds respectively sent a congratulatory message to President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang on their assumption of office. In April, Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett sent a message to congratulate Foreign Minister Wang Yi on assuming office. In June, Guyanese Agricultural Minister Leslie Ramsammy attended the First China-Latin America and the Caribbean Agricultural Ministers' Forum held in China. In October, officials from the ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic visited China as part of a visiting Caribbean ruling party delegation.

New progress was made in business, cultural, education and military exchanges and cooperation. In January, the art troupe "Cultures of China, Festival of Spring" by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council made a performance tour to Guyana in celebration of the 160th anniversary of the arrival of the Chinese in Guyana. In February, China Central Television (CCTV) news channel was launched in Guyana. In March, the two countries signed an agreement on establishing a Confucius Institute at the University of Guyana. In October, Deputy Chief of Staff Brewster Lovell of Guyana's Defense Force (GDF) attended the First Forum for Senior Defense Officials from Caribbean and South Pacific Countries held in China.