It appears that many ordinary Jamaicans have been able to mount a successful lobby for more political attention to be paid to the increasingly high-profile infusion of the Chinese economic influence in their country.
Aggressive Chinese penetration of the economies of several Caricom countries, including the involvement of Chinese companies in a number of huge infrastructure projects, has raised eyebrows in the region. Concerns have centred chiefly around the proliferation of Chinese merchants in countries in the region and the various ways in which they have been impacting on the commercial culture. Keen attention is also being paid to the quid pro quo in terms of control over natural resources and political influence, which some believe the Chinese are seeking in exchange for their generosity to the Caribbean.
Last Sunday, Jamaica’s Shadow Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Edmund Bartlett added his voice to those of other Jamaicans who appear to believe that the extent of the Chinese economic presence in Jamaica could threaten the country’s sovereignty.
According to a Gleaner article, Bartlett described the prevailing suspicion of the Chinese as “an age-old discussion on how international aid and investment influence the sovereignty of a nation, whether it tramples on democratic rights of its citizens or allows breathing space to an economically challenged state.”
China is currently playing an important role in several major developmental projects in Jamaica and it is in that context that the veteran Jamaican politician alludes to “concerns” that have been raised among Jamaicans “as to whether Jamaica stands to lose much of its sovereignty even if it benefits economically” from those projects.
Accordingly, he contends that “potent political will” is necessary to resist what is not good for the country and to embrace what is of benefit to the people.
Bartlett’s underlying argument about the need for Jamaica to carefully evaluate the pros and cons of falling into China’s economic embrace has been raised elsewhere in the region, including here in Guyana, though the issue has secured far less traction in political circles here.
While acknowledging that Jamaica, with its “peculiar economic problems” will inevitably be attracted to the economic aid on offer from China, Bartlett says that “one of the things that we cannot and must not do is to sacrifice self-determination for straight economic good.”
Whilst urging caution Bartlett is not indifferent to the necessity for Jamaica to take advantage of its relationship with China. He acknowledges that not many countries are able to offer the kinds of investment deals that China offers and Jamaica will therefore “have to chart its way with China as partner.”
On the whole, the Jamaican opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman has expressed cautious optimism about Jamaica’s relationship with China, though there is still concern that “not everything will work for Jamaica in a way that its government and people desire.” He is, however, backing the “skills of diplomacy” which Jamaica has possessed over the years to “guide in terms of making those arrangements which will inure on a balance, strongly in our favour.”
Bartlett wants Jamaica and, by extension the region, to focus greater attention on what the Gleaner article describes as “the developmental value-added” of foreign affairs and foreign trade issues. “Every decision-making component must carefully weigh the variables to determine not only the qualitative benefits or feel-good factors, but more especially, measurable quantitative social and economic development benefits,” Bartlett says.
