GUYANA - The Government of Guyana has called out the People’s Republic of China for its continued silence on Venezuela’s provocative actions amid the ongoing border controversy and Caracas’ intention to conduct elections in Essequibo.
In a statement issued last Thursday, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it has “taken note that there has been no comment from the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Venezuela’s plan to hold elections on May 25, 2025, in what it has declared the “Guayana Esequiba State” which is the name Venezuela has given to Guyana’s Essequibo region.” The ministry noted that this move by Venezuela is a clear violation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This sharp rebuke follows remarks made by China’s Deputy Chief of Mission to Guyana, Huang Rui, during an embassy press conference on Wednesday in Georgetown where he initially suggested the long-standing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela could be resolved through “friendly consultations and negotiations.” Although Rui later retracted the comment, Guyana made it clear that such suggestions are unacceptable, as the matter is already before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation rejects the statement made on April 16, 2025 by the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China that Guyana and Venezuela can solve the border issue through friendly consultations and negotiations,” the statement said.
Reiterating Guyana’s longstanding position, the ministry noted that the issue is being adjudicated by the ICJ in accordance with the 1966 Geneva Agreement. “Guyana will not engage in discussion of any matter that has been brought before the Court. To do so would be to undermine the jurisdiction and authority of the International Court of Justice,” it was stated.
Notably, China’s Deputy Chief of Mission to Guyana Rui, has stated that China will not interfere in the Guyana and Venezuela border controversy. He said China maintains a strict policy of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. “If you actually follow the Chinese foreign policies, all those policies, as long as possible, you will see, first of all, we never intervene in internal affairs of any nation. The second principle is we always respect [other countries] sovereignty and territorial, that’s all,” Rui added. (Kaieteur News)
