Guyana, China relationship hailed – as China celebrates New Year

The relationship between Guyana and China has been described by President Donald Ramotar as one with great potential, as the two countries have made significant strides to advance their bi-lateral programme through high-level visits and significant investments in areas such as health, transportation and education.
The Head of State, speaking at a reception to mark the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival at the Chinese embassy on Mandela Avenue, said, Guyana is extremely grateful and will continue to support all efforts aimed at bringing real benefits to the people of the two countries through stronger partnerships with the Chinese public and private sectors.
China’s economic growth, President Ramotar noted, has contributed in a major way to the international economy. Its valuable investments in projects in various parts of the world would make a significant contribution to social and economic progress worldwide.
He added that the great leadership of the Communist Party of China, which recently concluded its 18th Congress, in guiding the Chinese people to prosperity.
President Ramotar added that he was proud of the fact the PPP/C of which he is General Secretary, has always stood in solidarity with the great efforts of the Chinese people, and recognised the role that the nation has played in promoting peaceful solutions to many international conflicts.
In closing, President Ramotar proposed a toast to the people of China and the country’s leadership.
Approximately 34 Guyanese products are exported to China on a yearly basis, and last year, Guyana received two new roll-on/roll-off ferry vessels and benefited from military air corps pilot and engineer training from China.
Chinese medical missions have been visiting Guyana over the last 20 years to supplement health care services. The construction of the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) and a modern sugar factory at Skeldon are also tangible products of the Guyana/China partnership.
Guyana and China have been signing agreements to boost priority projects in the areas of transportation, health care, training and culture during the Eleventh Session for the Guyana/China Joint Commission on Economic Trade and Technical Cooperation.
In his remarks, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Limin through his translator said that the Spring Festival is similar to Christmas and is seen as the most important festival in China.
He noted that the event was the first that he has hosted since his posting and said the climate is similar to the warmth of the Guyanese people.
He described 2012 as a milestone in relations between China and Guyana as it marks 40 years since formal relations began.
Ambassador Limin added that cooperation in the fields of medicine, trade, politics and economic aid is expanding and noted that more Chinese companies are interested in investing in Guyana, “China, and Guyana relations are at its historic best,” the ambassador said.  He added that it was a great honour to serve as his country’s official representative and he is deeply aware of the heavy responsibilities.
Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year’s Day itself, the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month.
The evening preceding Chinese New Year’s Day is an occasion for families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the “Lunar New Year”.
This year it falls on the 10th of February 2013 and is the Year of the Snake.