Nassau, The Bahamas — The People’s Republic of China, in the span of two decades, has transformed itself into an economic superpower the world can scarcely function without. This was one of the perspectives that added context to crucial conversations about the US-China outlook at the Central Banking Summit held at University of The Bahamas (UB) on Tuesday.

“China has gone from being, conceptually, a non-economy. It has gone from being a $2 trillion economy in 2000; today it is a $20 trillion economy. There has never been growth like that anywhere on the planet,” said Michael Drury, chief economist, McVean Trading.

In the Caribbean region and for The Bahamas, China has become both a critical link in the global supply chain and, at times, a financial partner when the price tag of major infrastructure projects proves difficult to carry alone.

During the summit, facilitated by UB’s Government and Public Policy Institute (GPPI) in partnership with the Global Interdependence Center (GIC), the outlook on US-China relations and how the world will be impacted was a key topic of discussion.

Drury appeared on a panel with Zhivargo Laing, Executive Director of UB’s GPPI. Both gave insight into China’s rapid economic rise and its growing influence over global manufacturing and trade.

“The wish was that China would become a capitalist democracy, and it was on its way there until President Xi Jinping took control of the country in 2012. [Xi] is a Marxist. When you are a Marxist, you believe capitalism will destroy itself,” Drury explained.

Drury, who also serves as an executive and assistant program director with the GlC, noted that the statistics surrounding China’s meteoric manufacturing expansion often evoke strong reactions when presented to audiences across the US.

“The solution for the United States in freeing itself from China’s manufacturing dominance is to find somewhere it can produce goods without depending on China. There is no such place on earth. China produces 30 percent of all manufactured goods,” he said.

The discussion also examined recent efforts by the US to reclaim manufacturing capacity and reverse trends Washington believes could compromise national security.

“The spoken goal of wanting to return manufacturing to the United States essentially means restoring enough production capacity to support national defence,” Drury explained. “The auto industry built the bombers and tanks during World War II. If you don’t have an auto industry, you don’t have an industry you can flip into national defence production.”

For The Bahamas, the geopolitical dynamics has become increasingly challenging to navigate with the latest example being the proposed specialty hospital project for which the Government of The Bahamas has secured Chinese financial backing. In response, the US, through its newly appointed ambassador, has publicly encouraged The Bahamas to reconsider the arrangement.

Laing, former Minister of Economic Affairs and a UB graduate, offered this contextual view: that The Bahamas understands the importance of maintaining strong relationships with both global powers.

“If we were going to have concerns about any country being overly influential in The Bahamas, it would be the United States of America. Why? Eighty-plus percent of our tourism comes from the United States. We have one of the only U.S. pre-clearance facilities in the world. There are substantial American investments in The Bahamas. Our currency is pegged to the United States. And if we ever needed help in this country, we have no doubt who we would turn to,” Laing said.

Laing noted that the influence of the United States extends beyond economics and geopolitics into the cultural and personal realms.

“We love to go to the United States. We go for education, healthcare, and socializing. But for practical reasons, we also nurture relationships with countries around the world. The Bahamas is not a war state.”

As competition between the two global giants intensifies, Laing offered this advice for policymakers navigating the geopolitical landscape.

“It will continue to be very competitive between these two giants, and if I were advising policymakers in The Bahamas, I would say: keep hugging your friends and shaking the hands of your associates.”

Turks and Caicos Islands – Beaches Turks and Caicos and the Sandals Foundation recently teamed up with Canadian broadcasters and their families to deliver a memorable Reading Road Trip experience at Enid Capron Primary School in Five Cays, Providenciales. The visit blended literacy support with cultural exchange, giving students rare one-on-one time with international media personalities while nurturing a love for reading.

Enid Capron Primary is one of the Sandals Foundation’s adopted schools in Turks and Caicos and has benefited for years from infrastructural upgrades, learning resources, and recurring volunteer initiatives. The Reading Road Trip programme, a flagship “voluntourism” excursion, invites resort guests to step into local classrooms to read with students, support literacy, and donate books and supplies. The recent installment, featuring Canadian radio and television personalities brought added energy and global visibility to the school community.

Broadcasters and their families boarded the same style of school buses local children use, reinforcing the programme’s emphasis on authenticity and genuine community connection. Once on campus, they were guided into classrooms of early-grade students, where storybooks opened for small-group reading sessions, questions, and lively discussions.

“The Reading Road Trip model centres on interaction rather than performance, and the presence of Canadian broadcasters made that interaction especially dynamic,” says Orville Morgan, Public Relations Manager Beaches Turks and Caicos resort. “Accustomed to connecting with audiences through microphones and cameras, these media professionals instead found themselves sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with children, helping them sound out words, explore new vocabulary, and build confidence in reading aloud. It was a memorable experience.”

The day also provided a cultural exchange as students asked questions about life in Canada, snow, and what it is like to work on radio or television. Broadcasters and their children also learned about local customs, school life in Providenciales, and the importance of education on an island where tourism remains the primary industry. Songs, and impromptu show-and-tell moments helped bridge the geographic gap, turning the classroom into a space of shared curiosity.

Vice Principal Nelene Swann expressed her satisfaction with the day’s activities, noting that the format allowed students to deeply connect with the visiting broadcasters in a meaningful way. “This kind of individual attention—whether through reading a single page together or answering a child’s question about a story—can significantly boost a student’s motivation to learn.” Swann added, “one central goal of the Reading Road Trip is pairing academic support with human connection so that children feel seen, heard, and valued in their learning environment.”

For the Canadian broadcasters and their families, the experience added depth to their holiday, offering a hands-on way to give back while learning about the island from the perspective of its youngest residents. Many volunteers who participate in Reading Road Trips report that they would “do it again in a heartbeat,” citing the joy of connecting with children and seeing firsthand how donated books and simple classroom interactions can make a tangible difference. As the group waved goodbye and boarded the bus back to the resort, they left behind not only books and school supplies, but also an impression of global friendship that students and educators at Enid Capron Primary are likely to remember long after the stories read that day have been returned to the shelf.

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Insert: A team of Canadian broadcasters share a group photograph with students at the Enid Capron Primary school during a recent Reading Road Trip to the institution

The world must work to restore harmony in a time of growing division, according to His Majesty King Charles III, who used his Commonwealth Day message to reflect on global conflict, shared sacrifice, and the enduring role of the Commonwealth in bringing nations together.

In his address as Head of the Commonwealth, the King said the association of nations remains one of the few places where countries of different sizes, cultures and histories can meet as equals.

“In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength… the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship,” the King said.

This year’s observance carries special significance, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a conflict in which more than one-and-a-half million men and women from across the Commonwealth served alongside the United Kingdom and its allies.

“On this special anniversary, we remember with particular pride and everlasting gratitude the untold sacrifice and selflessness of so many from around our Family of Nations who gave their lives in that dreadful conflict,” the King said.

Among those who served were thousands from the Caribbean, including volunteers from The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and other British West Indian territories. Historians estimate that around 20,000 Caribbean men and women joined the war effort, serving in the Royal Air Force, the Caribbean Regiment, the Merchant Navy and support units across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Their contribution, often overlooked in the wider history of the war, formed part of the Commonwealth effort that helped secure victory in 1945.

The King said the shared history of sacrifice remains a reminder of what can be achieved when nations work together, and warned that the same spirit is needed today as the world faces new pressures.

Leaders of Commonwealth countries, he noted, recently reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation on peace, human rights and the protection of the natural world, issues he said are critical to the future of younger generations.

“As we mark this Commonwealth Day together, there is no more important task than to restore the disrupted harmony of our entire planet,” the King said.

He added that the Commonwealth’s continued work toward cooperation and understanding will be essential in protecting the future of its people, particularly at a time when global tensions, environmental threats and economic uncertainty are again testing international unity.

For many across the Caribbean, the message also serves as a reminder that the region’s history is closely tied to that wider Commonwealth story — from the battlefields of World War II to the modern challenges of building peace, stability and opportunity in an uncertain world.