RWANDA: RECENT CHINA ACTIVITIES

UNCLAS KIGALI 000218 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV RW SUBJECT: RWANDA: RECENT CHINA ACTIVITIES REF: STATE 24937 ¶1. (SBU) The Chinese and Rwandan governments conduct their long-standing and productive relations on a number of levels. Last year the Chinese Minister of Cooperation and a senior Communist party official visited Kigali in August, under the aegis of the Fifth Rwanda-China Joint Committee on Economic, Technical and Trade Cooperation. The Chinese agreed to finance a new building for the Foreign Ministry, and to consider the construction of a new football stadium, a women's center, and a Confucius Institute. A 20 person Chinese business delegation came a week later. Later in the year, President Kagame attended the Sino-Africa Summit, and met with President Hu Jintao. ¶2. (SBU) China has long-term agricultural development programs in Rwanda, including a pilot high-yield rice program. It has built the majority of Rwanda's national roads. Its Chancery is under-going a significant expansion and refurbishment program, just down the road from the U.S. Embassy. The Chinese are continuing discussions with the GOR on the feasibility of a rail line from neighboring Tanzania. It has offered soft loans for a number of development projects. ARIETTI