RECENTLY, United States President Barack Obama visited Mexico and Costa Rica. His last visit to the Caribbean was in April 2009 when he attended the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad.

Hilary Clinton, while she was secretary of state, met the leaders of the Caribbean in Montego Bay.

This past week, Chinese President XI Jingping met with eight Caricom leaders in Port of Spain. The other Caricom governments that do not practise the “One China” policy were not included. They continue the financially unrewarding fallacy that Taiwan is the rightful Government of China. They can expect none of China’s very generous aid which has built or funded several prominent infrastructure projects throughout the region.

From the Caribbean, the Chinese leader goes to Costa Rica, which is the only Central American country to recognise the People’s Republic of China in preference to diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. In addition, China and Costa Rica have a free-trade agreement.

The week before, US Vice-President Joe Biden met Cariforum (Caricom plus the Dominican Republic) leaders in Trinidad. This trip served to confirm the interest of the US in the region, lest anyone suggests that the Caribbean is “unimportant” in US foreign policy.

Biden signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between the US and Caricom, a renewal of an institutional arrangement to discuss a raft of trade issues that was originally negotiated by Jamaica’s Ambassador Richard Bernal in 1991.

President Martelly of Haiti, who is chairman of Caricom, described the talks with the US as “frank and cordial”. The more frank prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad Bissessar, characterised the exchange as “brutal”, no doubt referring to the Caricom’s strong dissatisfaction over rum, Internet gambling, deportees, and small arms trafficking.

This prompted Biden to remind them of the sustained and valuable help of the US on drug trafficking, transnational crime and the CBI. He also pointed to the MOU establishing in Trinidad a renewable energy research centre for the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, the Chinese president was graciously receiving expressions of gratitude from the beneficiaries of funding and construction of high-profile infrastructure projects. Emblematic of this goodwill, the president formally opened a hospital which China helped to build.

The small vulnerable middle-economy states of the Caribbean are experiencing difficulties, especially since the start of the global economic crisis and their priority is the solicitation of economic assistance, whether from the United States, China or Venezuela.

The US is very concerned about security issues, while China and Venezuela understand that for Caricom governments it is ‘what have you done financially for me lately’. The US may be doing more for Caricom in more ways, but the Chinese are winning the public relations battle and the Venezuelans know that when you give delayed payment schedules for oil, hearts and allegiances follow.

Caricom, in its desperation for economic assistance, must realise that if it is not getting what it wants from its relationship with its long-standing ally, the United States, then it may well be a failure of its own advocacy. The best way to mobilise economic assistance from the US, Canada, China and others is to demonstrate that the region is helping itself to achieve self-directed, sustainable economic development and that mendicancy is not its long-term goal.