STAYING OUT OF IT: Mitchell says Bahamas not getting between China-US tensions

STAYING OUT OF IT: Mitchell says Bahamas not getting between China-US tensions
Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service Fred Mitchell address media at the Lynden Pindling International Airport Diplomatic Lounge on September 26, 2021.

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas is not in between a geopolitical banter between the United States and China, said Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday.

Mitchell made the comment as he spoke to the country’s relationships with the two world superpowers during a contribution in Parliament.

The foreign affairs minister insisted that there is room for The Bahamas to have relationships with both countries given that there are shared interests.

“We are not in any geopolitical fights between these two giants and both states recognize that fact,” Mitchell said.

“There is much to be gained by having good relations with every country and our foreign affairs are largely run through CARICOM.

“…I don’t want, from my point of view, the country to think that we are in some battle between China and the United States. We are out of that. What we know is they each have their interests. The Bahamas has its interest, which I described as similar though not the same as US, but similar.”

Earlier this year, United States General Glen VanHerck accused China of pursuing an aggressive geopolitical strategy that seeks to undermine US influence around the globe and shape the international environment to its advantage.

VanHerck specifically mentioned China’s relations with Mexico and The Bahamas, which he referred to as “an important partner”.

The Chinese Embassy, however, hit back at the comments and chastised the US not to treat the Caribbean as “a backyard that no one else should get involved in”.

The Chinese Embassy in The Bahamas is insisting its relationships in the Caribbean, including with The Bahamas, are not an attempt to undermine the US or any other major world power.

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.