China plays an increasing important role of economic and developmental importance in the region and the relations with China have increased steadily over time. The Caribbean's relations with China, are largely defined as either: the People's Republic of China (PRC; "China") or the Republic of China (ROC; "Taiwan"). As of 2024, nine states in the Caribbean recognized the PRC and four recognized the ROC.[1]
Historically, relations were mostly based upon trade, credits, and light investments, which have increased significantly since the 1990s. For many Caribbean nations, the increasing ties with China have been used as a way to decrease long time over-dependence on western developed nations, and as a move towards South-South cooperation alongside deepening of relations with neighbouring Latin America and Africa.
The Overseas Chinese population, in this case Chinese Caribbeans, have been resident in the Caribbean region for centuries[2][3][4] and have helped to make importaint contributions with cultural, trade, and political links in the region.[5][6][7] For example, Sir Solomon Hochoy of Trinidad and Tobago and Arthur Chung of Guyana were among the first of ethnic Chinese ancestry to lead countries in the Americas. In more modern times China and Taiwan have also expanded several levels of cooperation with the Caribbean nations.
China and the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago were said to have formed an agreement where asphalt from Trinidad and Tobago would be exported to China during its construction boom in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[8][9] In exchange, China has led several construction projects in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region via Chinese owned construction companies. Trinidad and Tobago has also[clarification needed] mooted the idea of starting direct shipments of oil and liquid natural gas direct from Trinidad and Tobago to China, to fuel the later's growing need for resources to fuel their economy.
As the Caribbean political heads of government have had several messy run-ins[10][11][12][13] with the Bush administration in the United States with respect to recent demands, China has been more sympathetic to the Caribbean position globally and has stepped up military training exercises in the Caribbean for example in direct response to several sanctions placed on governments in the Caribbean region for not following the wishes of the Bush administration.[14][15]
Several capital-works or infrastructural projects across the Caribbean region have also been financed or extended full grants by the Chinese government.[16]
In recent years both China and Taiwan have signed a collection of short-term bilateral reciprocal visa-free travel agreements along with nations in the Caribbean region.
^"Who are Taiwan's diplomatic allies?". 10 December 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2023. Taiwan's last allies include: Belize, eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland), Guatemala, Haiti, the Holy See (the central administration of the Roman Catholic Church), Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tuvalu.
^Staff writer (2023). "Chinese Arrival". Subject Guide. www.nalis.gov.tt. National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) of Trinidad & Tobago. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
^Ribando, Clare M. (30 March 2006). "Political Science". Article 98 Agreements and Sanctions on U.S. Foreign Aid to Latin America. Semantic Scholar. S2CID152541482.
†Physiographically, these continental islands are not part of the volcanic Windward Islands arc, although sometimes grouped with them culturally and politically.
#Bermuda is an isolated North Atlanticoceanic island, physiographically not part of the Lucayan Archipelago, Antilles, Caribbean Sea nor North American continental nor South American continental islands. It is grouped with the Northern American region, but occasionally also with the Caribbean region culturally.
