By KNEWS

Copyright kaieteurnewsonline

Comply with laws & open local bank accounts – Chinese Embassy tells Chinese business owners

Oct 04, 2025
News

(Kaieteur News) – The Chinese Embassy in Guyana on Friday urged Chinese business owners to comply with Guyana’s laws and regulations. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Embassy said it was compelled to issue a statement following a meeting with government officials on the conduct of businesses here.

The embassy urged Chinese-owned and operated shops to “Apply for business licenses, residence permits, and ID in accordance with the relevant laws of Guyana; open bank accounts; and conduct business activities within the scope permitted by the relevant law of Guyana. “

Further, the embassy called on the business owners to ensure that they adhere to strict product quality and not “sell expired, unidentified-origin or counterfeit goods.”

“Strictly adhere to relevant laws, do not engage in money laundering, smuggling, commercial fraud, or similar activities. Strictly comply with tax regulations; invoice customers accurately and pay taxes regularly; contribute social insurance for employees legally,” the Chinese Embassy urged.

The embassy urged the Chinese-operated stores to legally hire Guyanese workers and make positive contributions to the country’s economic development.

“Cooperate fully with law enforcement inspections. Should you encounter unfair treatment, handle the situation calmly and rationally while gathering evidence to protect your legitimate rights afterward,” the embassy urged businesses while noting that business owners must ensure that safety and risk prevention are priority.

“Equip your premises with necessary security devices, minimize on-site cash reserves, and hire security guards if necessary. In emergencies, call the police immediately and seek assistance from the Chinese Embassy.”

Guyanese have over the years, been raising concerns about the growth of Chinese businesses in communities across the country.

In October 2024 Kaieteur reported that, residents of Agricola took to the streets to protest the establishment of a Chinese supermarket in their area. Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo in response to a question by Kaieteur News on issue said that the regulatory bodies need to uniformly enforce the laws on these Chinese businesses. Jagdeo had explained that he was in contact with citizens who claimed that they are being displaced by Chinese nationals establishing businesses in their communities. On the other hand, he said there are other business persons who are pro-Chinese and rent their properties to them so they can do business.

He said there are cases where the Chinese business owners often times bypass regulatory approval and the agencies responsible for enforcing the regulations, do not hold them accountable in accordance with the laws of the country. “So, they (Guyanese) put up a building that breaches the building permits, no ventilation there on the building, they will get a visit from the inspector who says to sell pharmaceuticals here you have to have proper ventilation, but next door there is a Chinese company selling pharmaceuticals but there is no ventilation whatsoever, they are not applying the law uniformly,” the VP said.

Explaining that to sell certain items like alcohol there are different permits needed, Jagdeo highlighted that some of these Chinese entities sell everything under the sun without having the necessary permissions in place and this should not be so.

“One may go to a store to buy nails and want a beer; a shop next door may have the permit to sell the beer but you would buy it from the store you are currently in because it’s convenient at the time, even though they do not have the approval to distribute alcoholic beverages.”

This is one of the other avenues that Guyanese are highlighting as a disadvantage and Jagdeo said that “the Guyana Revenue Authority does not pay careful attention for payment of VAT and other things, or hold them accountable for paying VAT and other taxes that they have to pay.

“So, we have made it clear to the regulatory bodies you have to enforce the laws uniformly and we believe that sometimes people are induced not to do that so we are paying careful attention to this,” Jagdeo said.

In July, leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton said that while Guyana and China have had a lasting friendly relationship, Guyanese must pursue their own interest.

“I believe we can engage Chinese authorities to make it very, very clear that they have to operate within the confines of the law. They have to pay the taxes, etc. We will seek to remove any, what should I call it, any advantage they will have over Guyanese in business,” Norton told journalists ahead of the 2025 general and regional elections.

China Guyana, Chinese business owners, Chinese Embassy, local bank accounts