DRC/CHINESE RELATIONS BRIEF UPDATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000265

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/RSA DANIEL EPSTEIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN ENRG PGOV PREL CHG CG
SUBJECT: DRC/CHINESE RELATIONS BRIEF UPDATE

REF: STATE 24937


1. (SBU) Per reftel, post provides the following updated
summary of Chinese activities in the Democratic Republic of
Congo.

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Diplomatic Activities
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2. (SBU) China was one of 14 members of the Committee to
Accompany the Transition (CIAT),an advisory body to the
2003-2006 transitional government created by the Sun City
accords. The U.S., along with other Security Council and
neighboring nations, also participated. The CIAT, a forum
for sustained dialogue with the DRC transitional government,
terminated with the installation of an elected president in
December 2006.


3. (SBU) President Kabila led a March 2005 trade delegation
to China. Vice President Yerodia headed the Congolese
delegation to the November 2006 China-Africa Summit in
Beijing.


4. (SBU) China issued approximately 7,000 tourist,
business, and student visas to Congolese in 2006, up from
4,000 in 2005.


5. (SBU) China has continued to provide assistance to the
DRC. In January 2006, Chinese experts assisted the Congolese
parastatal utility Regediso with water inspectionsin Eastern
Kasai province. In June 2006, a Chinese-built hospital
opened in Ndjili, an impoverished Kinshasa suburb. In
January 2007, China donated USD 64,000 in office supplies to
the new DRC government. Chinese construction companies
rehabilitated roads in North and South Kivu provinces in 2006
with World Bank funding.

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Economic/Commercial Activities
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6. (SBU) China has strong interests in the DRC mining
sector, particularly in Katanga province where China is
aggressively pursuing copper and cobalt interests. (Note:
China is one of the world's biggest producers of processed
cobalt; 85 percent of the raw material comes from the DRC.
End note.) Aside from one joint venture with Congolese state
mining company Gecamines, the numerous Chinese actors
involved in the DRC mining industry are independent buyers
who export ore.


7. (SBU) China has supported several large infrastructure
and road building projects in the DRC, including a road in
Bas-Congo province and a rail line to the port of Benguela in
Angola. The projects are typically self-financed; the
Chinese lend the DRC money for the project, and the DRC hires
a Chinese company to do the work. Post has no information on
the terms of the loans or their impact on the DRC's debt.
China has also expressed interest in re-opening a munitions
plant in the DRC.


8. (SBU) There are over 600 members of the Chinese Chamber
of Commerce in the DRC. There is also a flourishing Mutual
Assistance Association for Chinese in Congo.

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Military Relations
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9. (SBU) President Joseph Kabila trained briefly in China
during his days as a rebel and is known to have favorable
views towards China. In 2006, Congolese national army
(FARDC) officers received training in China, and China
provided tactical training to the FARDC in the DRC.

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Potential Future Areas of Dialogue and Cooperation
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10. (SBU) With the installation of the new government, the
U.S. focus has turned from elections to such issues as
security and justice sector reform, democracy and good
governance, and humanitarian assistance. Given Chinese

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unwillingness to "meddle in the internal affairs" of other
countries, it is doubtful that the Chinese will engage
actively with the U.S. and other donors in issues related to
corruption and governance. Dialogue on humanitarian needs in
the fields of health
MEECE