Kenneth Rijock Alleges Chinese Pressure on Antigua to Block India’s UNSC Bid

Kenneth Rijock has published a recent blog suggesting that China is exerting political and economic pressure Antigua and Barbuda to influence CARICOM into denying support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Rijock, a senior financial investigator and internationally known expert on money laundering said that Beijing’s growing footprint in the Eastern Caribbean has translated into political leverage.

China’s Expanding Presence in Antigua

Rijock highlighted that China has invested close to USD $1 billion in Antigua and Barbuda through loans and aid. He revealed that the Chinese government is currently constructing a special enclave on Antiguan territory, a project he described as functioning like a “state within a state” not governed by local Antiguan law and developed on land previously earmarked for environmental protection.

“We have learned that China has made veiled threats of consequences, should the government of Antigua not assist its campaign to deny the seat to India.China is the only Asian nation with a permanent seat, all the other four permanent members have supported India for the seat; only China opposes this action,” Rijock wrote. 

According to Rijock, China’s lobbying efforts are not limited to Antigua and Barbuda. He added that within the OECS, China has a stronghold in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Grenada.

The financial investigator claimed that Beijing has also sought to influence the Commonwealth of Dominica and Grenada, both members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)  to oppose India’s push for a permanent Security Council seat. 

Both nations, he noted, maintain close diplomatic ties with China and have benefited from Chinese-funded infrastructure projects, including the construction of hospitals and national stadiums, roads and more. Rijock suggested that such projects may serve as a strategic tool for Beijing to shape diplomatic stances within the OECS region.

India has also intensified outreach to the Eastern Caribbean in recent years. Rijock’s analysis points to high-level diplomatic missions, developmental aid, and technical cooperation as part of New Delhi’s effort to secure regional backing for its longstanding campaign to join the five permanent members of the UN Security Council currently the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China.

He described India’s lobbying as a top foreign-policy priority, noting that New Delhi seeks a unified endorsement from CARICOM (the Caribbean Community) to strengthen its global campaign.