PRC/AFRICA: MFA PRESS BRIEFING ON HU JINTAO'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 BEIJING 000569 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV XA SU CH SUBJECT: PRC/AFRICA: MFA PRESS BRIEFING ON HU JINTAO'S UPCOMING TRIP TO AFRICA ¶1. Key points made by Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun at the January 24 MFA press briefing on President Hu's upcoming visit to Africa were: -- Hu will visit Africa from January 30 to February 10, including stops in Cameroon (Jan. 30-Feb. 1),Liberia (Feb. 1),Sudan (Feb. 2-3),Zambia (Feb. 3-5),Namibia (Feb. 5-6),South Africa (Feb. 6-8),Mozambique (Feb. 8-9) and Seychelles (Feb. 9-10). -- The PRC believes the Sudan Government seeks to improve the situation in Darfur and that the Darfur issue must be resolved through dialogue. -- The PRC opposes sanctions on the Sudan Government. -- China feels it is unfairly criticized for its trade practices with Africa, which are mutually beneficial to China and Africa. -- Hu will announce increased Chinese investment in Africa and establish the first of 35 proposed investment zones in Zambia during the trip. Eleven Days, Eight Countries -------------- ¶2. AFM Zhai Jun announced that President Hu will visit eight African countries from January 30-February 10, his first trip abroad in 2007. The trip is designed to implement the eight steps to promote China-Africa cooperation Hu outlined last year during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC),to consolidate trade and development ties and to strengthen and deepen China's new strategic partnership with African countries, AFM Zhai said. Providing a run-down of each State Visit, AFM Zhai noted that President Hu could not visit all forty- eight countries that attended FOCAC in one trip, but the eight countries to be visited vary in size, region and length of time of diplomatic ties with the PRC so as to be representative of the broad scope of China's links with Africa. AFM Zhai noted that each country supported the one China policy and said that President Hu would discuss relevant trade and development concerns at each stop in addition to local and regional issues. The leaders of the eight countries each attach great importance to President Hu's visit and have arranged carefully to ensure positive outcomes, AFM Zhai said. Cameroon: Smooth Ties -------------- ¶3. AFM Zhai described China-Cameroon bilateral ties as smooth. President Hu will pay a state visit to Cameroon from January 30 to February 1 at the invitation of President Biya, following Biya's recent visit to China. Hu will meet with the President and the Speaker of Parliament and visit a Chinese construction project. The leaders will discuss local and regional concerns and exchange views on FOCAC implementation. Trade between the two countries reached USD 338 million for the first eleven months of 2006, a 100 percent year-on-year increase from 2005. Cameroon has become an approved tourist destination for Chinese tour groups, AFM Zhai noted. Liberia: Burgeoning Trade -------------- ¶4. On February 1 President Hu will pay a state visit to Liberia at the invitation of President Johnson Sirleaf, AFM Zhai said, noting President Johnson Sirleaf paid a state visit to China in connection with FOCAC. The Liberian government greatly values its relations with China, which were reestablished in 2003, and the visit will promote further growth in the bilateral relationship, AFM Zhai said. President Hu will meet with President Johnson Sirleaf and other leaders, attend the opening of a Chinese-sponsored malaria control center and visit Chinese military and police personnel participating in the United Nations Mission in Liberia peacekeeping operation. Trade with Liberia reached USD 375 million during the first eleven months of 2006, up 305 percent from 2005, AFM Zhai said. Sudan: Major Trade Partner -------------- BEIJING 00000569 002 OF 004 ¶5. President Hu will visit Sudan from February 2-3 at the invitation of President al-Bashir, who has twice visited China, AFM Zhai said, noting that bilateral relations have grown smoothly since they were established in 1959. President Hu and President Bashir will discuss bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest, including the situation in Darfur. Noting Sudan is China's third largest trading partner in Africa, AFM Zhai said bilateral trade for the first six month of 2006 was USD 2.9 billion, down slightly from 2005 levels due primarily to fluctuations in petroleum prices and normal supply and demand. Economic agreements are being prepared in advance of President Hu's visit, AFM Zhai added. Zambia: Special Trade Zone -------------- ¶6. President Hu will meet President Mwanawasa and establish a Special Trade Zone in Zambia during his February 3-5 trip to the country, AFM Zhai said, adding that the two countries share a profound friendship. This will be the first Chinese Special Trade Zone established in Africa pursuant to President Hu's eight-point proposal at FOCAC. China is Zambia's third largest foreign investor, with over 180 Chinese companies active in the country in such areas as agriculture, communications and infrastructure development. Trade during the first eleven months of 2006 reached USD 310 million, AFM Zhai said. Namibia: Rising Trade -------------- ¶7. At the invitation of Namibian President Pohamba, President Hu will visit Namibia from February 5-6 to meet with Pohamba and former President Nujoma. China supported Namibia's fight for independence and this visit follows a visit to China by President Pohamba in ¶2005. Namibia has become a Chinese approved tourist destination and trade reached USD 240 million for the first eleven months of 2006, up 103 percent from 2005, AFM Zhai said. South Africa: Speech to Youth -------------- ¶8. To underscore the importance of China and South Africa's strategic partnership, President Hu will travel to South Africa February 6-8, AFM Zhai said. President Hu will meet President Mbeki and, at Pretoria University, deliver a speech to Africa's youth. South Africa is China?s largest trading partner in Africa with a trade volume of USD 8.83 billion in the first eleven months of 2006. More than 40,000 Chinese tourists visited South Africa in 2005. South Africa is a very influential country and Sino- South African cooperation is developing very rapidly across a great number of fields, AFM Zhai added. Mozambique, Seychelles: Closer Ties -------------- ¶9. President Hu will visit Mozambique February 8-9. Hu will meet President Guebuza and the Speaker of the Parliament and open a Chinese-sponsored agricultural technology center, AFM Zhai noted. The visit builds on opportunities for cooperation discussed at the Second Ministerial Conference of the Forum on Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese- Speaking Countries held in Macao last year. In the first eleven months of 2006, China-Mozambique bilateral trade reached USD 190 million, a fivefold increase from 2001, AFM Zhai said. In response to a reporter's question, AFM Zhai said he had no information on unfulfilled investment pledges by China or Chinese companies in Mozambique. AFM Zhai said during the visit President Hu will announce new assistance packages to Mozambique and sign a number of economic and trade documents. ¶10. President Hu will conclude his Africa tour with a visit to the Seychelles from February 9-10, AFM Zhai said. President Hu will meet President Michel and seek to promote friendly cooperation across a range of issues. This is President Hu's first trip to the Seychelles and follows President Michel's attendance at the Beijing Summit, AFM Zhai added. BEIJING 00000569 003 OF 004 Sudan: AFM Zhai Testy On China's Role -------------- ¶11. During the press conference, AFM Zhai fielded a number of questions on Sudan/Darfur, with reporters asking whether President Hu would press President Bashir for a solution, whether China would curb its arms sales to the Government of National Unity (GNU) and what practical steps China would take to help address the crisis in Darfur. AFM Zhai acknowledged Darfur would likely be on the agenda when Presidents Hu and al-Bashir meet and said China follows the Darfur situation closely. China has had frequent contacts with all relevant parties and worked to resolve the situation through multiple diplomatic channels, including senior-level contacts and written correspondence. The GNU has the will to solve the Darfur issue and wants to pursue Sudan's development, AFM Zhai said. ¶12. Frequently animated in his responses, AFM Zhai said the Darfur issue is complex and involves many variables, including an ongoing dialogue between the GNU and some rebel groups, the question of international peacekeepers and humanitarian considerations. The press should get its facts straight before challenging China's policies. The GNU, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) have reached a preliminary agreement for a peacekeeping operation (PKO) in Darfur pursuant to former UN Secretary General Annan's three phase proposal. Discussions continue but the overall direction is positive, AFM Zhai said, noting he had recently returned from Sudan. The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) in itself indicates the situation is improving, but the non-signatory rebel groups should join the DPA. AFM Zhai said that China would consider contributing peacekeepers to a PKO agreed to by the GNU, AU and UN but it is too early to discuss such contingencies. If the Darfur issue is settled, a PKO will not be needed, AFM Zhai said. ¶13. AFM Zhai stressed that China clearly favors national reconciliation and peace and stability in Sudan and the region. Darfur's instability can affect neighboring countries, but Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. The GNU's consent is critical for any PKO deployment because the GNU best understands the situation on the ground. Sanctions and other undue pressures are not practical and will only complicate matters, leading to a bad settlement, AFM Zhai warned. AFM Zhai bristled at questions related to China's arms sales to the GNU, saying that China only sells arms to sovereign national governments, requires buyers not to transfer the weapons to third parties without Chinese consent and abides by all applicable UN regulations and international law. In response to a specific question, AFM Zhai denied knowledge of a GNU raid on the compound of a non-governmental organization hosting UN and AU personnel. ¶14. Responding to questions about China's "grab for Africa's resources," AFM Zhai strenuously defended Chinese policy as mutually beneficial to both Africa and China. Africa's strengths are its natural resources. China's cooperation and investment helps African countries utilize these strengths to drive economic development and improve the lives of their citizens. Moreover, China imports a mere 30 million barrels of oil from Africa a day, a fraction of what others who escape scrutiny import. If China were looting African resources, AFM Zhai said, then African countries would be opposed to such actions as they have opposed Western colonialist powers for hundreds of years. China has been subjected to foreign invasion and knows how African countries feel. African countries love China and seek cooperation with China, AFM Zhai said. The unprecedented turnout of African leaders in Beijing for the 2006 FOCAC Summit shows the positive views African leaders have of China, AFM Zhai said. ¶15. AFM Zhai responded to a New York Times? reporter's point that China has been reluctant to cooperate with other multilateral donors and international financial institutions by saying that China-Africa cooperation is open and transparent. China consults with the European Union and European countries on Africa. Sino-African cooperation is BEIJING 00000569 004 OF 004 merely a subset of China's broader relations with the international community, which include South-South cooperation and other multilateral forums. With Africa, China fosters cooperation in all fields, including agriculture, health, culture and education and requires companies give back to the community, not just through money but through development projects, directly benefiting the local people. AFM Zhai said China asks its corporations to establish schools, hospitals, bridges and malaria control centers, all projects designed to benefit local communities. PRC To Boost Investment Levels -------------- ¶16. Asked to provide details on any energy and mineral deals that might be announced during President Hu?' visit, AFM Zhai said that last year Chinese investments in Africa totaled between USD 7 and 8 billion and he sees great potential for further growth, noting the China-Africa development fund President Hu announced during FOCAC. AFM Zhai emphasized that President Hu's visit will build on the success of the Beijing Summit and work to implement the eight policy measures for China-Africa cooperation announced in Beijing. The focus of these efforts, as outlined in the policy measures, will be on increasing investment, alleviating poverty and reducing debt. AFM Zhai mentioned building agricultural centers, cooperative zones and rural schools as specific types of assistance. Under President Hu's FOCAC proposal, China will establish 35 special trade zones, AFM Zhai noted. ¶17. AFM Zhai refuted charges that PRC investments in Zambia created unrest last year, stating that occasional problems in a cooperative trade relationship are normal. China-Zambia relations are in good shape and investment and trade have both increased. A reported incident between Zambian laborers and a Chinese company was part and parcel of corporate-labor relations, AFM Zhai said. Strikes are normal even in European countries. AFM Zhai conceded that doing business in Africa is new to Chinese companies, noting that the Chinese government will try to educate businesses to respect local laws and customs and promote deeper cooperation. RANDT