SVG has no Antipathy Towards China, says PM Gonsalves

One of the only reasons that St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) does not have diplomatic relations with mainland China is because China does not allow countries to be diplomatically friendly with them and Taiwan at the same time.

“If they say tomorrow morning, they change that… you have relations with Taiwan, but you could also have with us, we are with them. We work in the Caribbean Development Bank with the mainland China. We are a borrowing member of the Caribbean Development Bank; mainland China is a non-borrowing member,” Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves said on radio on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.

“We work together in the World Bank, the IMF, United Nation, when we were on the Security Council, we worked together,” the Prime Minister said, while adding that the government has no antipathy towards China.

Dr Gonsalves was speaking on NBC Radio’s Morning Cup programme where he noted the stance of the Chinese government is that once any country has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, they can’t have with China.

His comments come on the heels of remarks on the Saturday, May, 31, 2025, by the United States (US) Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, who urged Asian countries to step up their own defence in response to China’s military build-up near Taiwan.

“Any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world. There’s no reason to sugar coat it…the threat China poses is real and it could be imminent…we hope not, but it certainly could be,” Hegseth said.

In response, China’s Rear Admiral, Hu Gangfeng, called the remarks “groundless accusations” and, according to Fox News, last Sunday China criticized Hegseth for his “vilified” remarks “filled with provocations” in which he said the Asian country poses a legitimate threat in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Hegseth touted a “Cold War mentality” when he delivered his speech on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Gonsalves said that St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is, and has always been an advocate for peace in the Taiwan Straits, but noted that Hegseth’s statement was a “strong” one”.

“Some people analyse and say it’s hyperbole, but what it has done, it has brought into focus this important issue across the Taiwan Straits, Dr Gonsalves pointed out.

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