The Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) has launched a digital platform that seeks to analyze the China diplomatic and economic projects in Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean region.
The China-CARICOM Portal, unveiled during an Inter-American Dialogue webinar, maps over 800 Chinese projects across participating Caribbean nations between 2013 and 2023.
“This tool will serve as an essential resource for policymakers and researchers to make informed decisions about engagement with China,” explained Alexander Coswell, a fellow at CAPRI who presented the portal.
“It provides objective, evidence-based data about the nature and scope of Chinese investments in our region,” he added.
For Antigua and Barbuda and other smaller Caribbean nations, the tracker revealed targeted investments in sectors such as digital infrastructure and renewable energy patterns in China’s regional engagement.
It also noted that larger CARICOM states like Jamaica—which has received approximately $3.16 billion of the total $10 billion Chinese investment in the region—and Guyana have attracted the bulk of Chinese attention.
The data shows China’s investment strategy has evolved significantly over the past decade. Initial large-scale infrastructure projects have given way to more diverse investments in technology, digital transformation, and education. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a notable shift toward health-related projects and digital infrastructure – trends that could prove particularly significant for Antigua and Barbuda’s ongoing development efforts.
“The Chinese strategy is to seek out gaps… It’s a very entrepreneurial strategy,” Coswell explained during the launch presentation.
“They’re trying to see what the CARICOM region needs and trying to fill those needs with their solutions.”
Diane Edwards, Director of the Professional Services unit at the University of the West Indies Mona School of Business and Management, emphasized the delicate balance Caribbean nations must maintain.
“The Caribbean needs to be increasingly subtle and nuanced in how we balance relationships between global superpowers,” she said, while acknowledging the “huge opportunities for deepening trade, tourism and technology with China.”
Researchers at CAPRI noted that future Chinese engagement may increasingly focus on renewable energy projects, driven by the Caribbean’s notably high electricity costs, and digital transformation initiatives.
The platform will be updated regularly, with the next data update expected by summer 2025 and will provide an evidence-based foundation for future policy discussions about foreign investment and regional development, with both policymakers and the public able to access the platform for free.