China rejects U.S. criticism of infrastructure projects in Guyana

The Chinese Embassy in Guyana has rejected criticism from a U.S. State Department official regarding Chinese-built infrastructure projects in the region, labeling the comments as “malicious” and “politically motivated.”

The dispute follows social media posts by Juan Pablo Segura, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, who criticized Chinese state-owned companies such as Sinohydro Corporation and China Railway Group Limited. Segura alleged that projects led by these firms in Latin America and the Caribbean have resulted in broken contracts, environmental damage, and increased national debt. He specifically cited an airport project in Guyana as being plagued by cost overruns and construction delays lasting over a decade, as well as issues with a hydroelectric dam in Ecuador and construction projects in Peru.

The Chinese Embassy responded by stating that these remarks disregard facts and constitute an attack on normal economic and trade cooperation between China and Guyana, noting that bilateral trade is approaching $2.9 billion. The embassy also pointed to delays in Guyana’s Gas-to-Energy project, which is being constructed by the American firm Lindsayca Guyana Inc., as a counter-example of infrastructure challenges.