China has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening economic and diplomatic relations with Caribbean countries, despite growing efforts by the United States to expand its influence across the region.
Chinese Ambassador to Jamaica Wang Jinfeng said Beijing intends to continue its Belt and Road cooperation with Jamaica and other Caribbean nations, emphasizing that countries should have the freedom to determine their own international partnerships.
His comments come amid increased US engagement in the Caribbean, including a reported US$340 million investment and assistance package announced during an October US-Caribbean Dialogue.
The ambassador’s remarks also come at a time when several Caribbean governments are reassessing longstanding relationships with Cuba, including arrangements involving Cuban medical personnel. Some observers have linked those changes to pressure from Washington.
Regional positions on Cuba have increasingly differed. Trinidad and Tobago voted against a United Nations resolution calling for an end to the US embargo, while Jamaica, Guyana and Haiti abstained. Several other CARICOM countries continued supporting the traditional position in favour of lifting the embargo.
China has maintained that it opposes unilateral sanctions against Cuba and supports the country’s sovereignty.
The ambassador’s comments highlight the growing competition between Washington and Beijing for diplomatic and economic partnerships in the Caribbean, a region of increasing strategic importance to both powers.
