Less than a day after announcing deepened bilateral relations with Taiwan, the Government of Guyana made a dramatic about-face on Thursday (February 4), scrapping an agreement it had for the Asian island to establish an office in the Caribbean country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in a statement today, says it only acknowledges the controversial ‘One China’ policy.

“The Government of Guyana has noted various media releases on the matter of a Taiwan office in Guyana. The Government of Guyana wishes to clarify that it continues to adhere to the One China policy and its diplomatic relations remain intact with the People’s Republic of China. The Government has not established any diplomatic ties or relations with Taiwan and, as a result of the miscommunication of the agreement signed, this agreement has since been terminated,” the Guyanese ministry explained.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted on Wednesday that the now-cancelled facility was to represent “the commitment of both sides to promoting a partnership of prosperity based on democratic values across areas like agriculture, education, investment and trade”.

Taiwan continued by expressing its thanks to Guyana “for its friendship and support”.

The US Embassy in Georgetown, never shy to expressed concern over China’s growing influence in the Caribbean, welcomed the Taiwan office.

“Deepening ties between Guyana and Taiwan will advance their shared goals of prosperity and security. Closer ties with Taiwan will advance cooperation and development in Guyana on the basis of shared democratic values, transparency, and mutual respect,” the US Embassy in Georgetown noted in a Wednesday statement.

Guyana has historically supported the ‘One China’ policy, however, which strips Taiwan of its sovereignty; not recognising the island as an independent country.

Most recently, Guyana was among nine Caribbean countries that reaffirmed the ‘One China’ policy in a May 2020 special video meeting with Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and the Bahamas were the remaining eight ‘One China’ observers.

Taiwan does manage to maintain ‘strong’ diplomatic relations with St Vincent and the Grenadines, Haiti, St Kitts and Nevis and St Lucia.