Bahamas PM says CARICOM will not get involved in US and China spat
Key Points(5)
- Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis stated yesterday that Caribbean nations will not get involved in the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and China over influence in the region.
- His remarks came in response to a letter from several members of the U.S.
- Congress to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the U.S.
- to send a high-level delegation to the 48th Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
- The letter highlighted the region's strategic importance for U.S.
Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis stated yesterday that Caribbean nations will not get involved in the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and China over influence in the region.
His remarks came in response to a letter from several members of the U.S. Congress to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the U.S. to send a high-level delegation to the 48th Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The letter highlighted the region's strategic importance for U.S. security and economic interests, and expressed concerns about China’s growing influence in the area.
Davis emphasized that CARICOM will maintain its stance of non-alignment on such geopolitical issues. "We have always taken a position of being unaligned in respect to those matters and I think that should continue," he said. He recalled his role as CARICOM chairman in February 2023, when the region hosted a large delegation of over 60 representatives, resulting in various bilateral agreements and initiatives. "We have to build on that initial presence of CARICOM," Davis added.
The next CARICOM meeting will be held from Wednesday to Friday in Bridgetown, Barbados.
In the congressional letter, U.S. lawmakers referred to the Caribbean as "a key pillar of U.S. national security," underscoring the region's role in addressing security issues such as drug trafficking, irregular migration, and human smuggling. The letter also highlighted the Caribbean’s vital role in U.S. trade, energy security, and its importance as a strategic partner in diversifying energy sources. "Bolstering cooperation with our Caribbean partners through high-level engagement serves as a force multiplier for the litany of U.S. national security and economic priorities in the region," the letter stated.
The letter also expressed concern about China’s growing influence, particularly through investments in energy and port infrastructure, arguing that sustained U.S. engagement is needed to counter China's influence and prevent "coercion." It also emphasized the importance of continued U.S. support for economic development, natural disaster resilience, and democratic governance in the region, especially during a year with six national elections, including in two Taiwan-allied states.
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Kimberley Furnish also addressed Chinese influence during the Grand Bahama Business Outlook in Freeport last Thursday. Furnish urged regional partners, such as The Bahamas, to resist China’s "malign" influence, which she said makes big promises but delivers little. She highlighted the Trump administration's foreign policy agenda, focusing on strengthening economic ties with countries in the Western Hemisphere, and emphasized the importance of trusted partnerships for improving infrastructure and regional development.
"To ensure our mutual economic growth, it is imperative that we address the challenges that threaten our shared values and interests," Furnish said, noting that the importance of trusted networks is crucial given projections of six million visitors to Grand Bahama by 2027.
The Chinese Embassy in Nassau did not provide a comment when contacted on the matter.
