The Guyanese Ambassador to China Bayney Karran (right)and Han Jing cut a ceremonial cake. Photo: Yin Yeping/GT

To mark the 53rd Anniversary of Independence of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, a reception took place at the Guyanese Embassy in Beijing on May 27. The Ambassador of Guyana to China Bayney Karran gave a speech. "Guyana's story has interfaced with that of China over the past centuries. The first Chinese immigrants arrived in Guyana in 1853, pursuing opportunities in an unknown but hospitable frontier, adding their customs and cuisine as essential ingredients in Guyanese culture," the ambassador said. "As we celebrate our Independence Day in Beijing, we recall being the first country in the English-speaking Caribbean to have opened diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on June 27, 1972, and the first such country to open up an embassy in Beijing in 1973." Karran said that Guyana will put emphasis on agriculture, energy, information technology and infrastructure. Han Jing, deputy director-general of the Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs of the Foreign Ministry attended the event.