China Aids Suriname, Expanding South American Role

China’s expanded presence can easily be glimpsed just by driving out of Paramaribo into the countryside. Chinese laborers from one company, China Dalian International, which is upgrading Suriname’s roads, toil under the hot sun. They live in roadside camps carved out of surrounding forest.       

In one example, a Chinese palm oil project in the eastern province of Marowijne prompted calls by Ronnie Brunswijk, a leader of Suriname’s Maroons, who are descended from escaped slaves, for Chinese employment in the area to be limited to management positions.

More broadly, the arrival over the past two decades of thousands of new Chinese immigrants is generating debate over the influx’s effect.       
Some here see positive results. “They invest in every corner of the country,” said Noel Hassankhan, a restaurant owner, referring to Chinese food stores. “They offer an assortment of products, cheap prices, and stay open until late in the evening.”