CHAD RESPONSE: CHINA'S ENGAGEMENT IN AFRICA

UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000238

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/C; LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS; ACCRA
FOR GEOFFREY HUNT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN ENRG PREL CD
SUBJECT: CHAD RESPONSE: CHINA'S ENGAGEMENT IN AFRICA

REF: A. STATE 41697

B. 07 N'DJAMENA 676


1. (SBU) Summary: Since reopening its embassy in N'djamena in
2006, China's engagement with Chad has focused on responding
to a variety of needs expressed by the Chadian government.
Among the focus areas of Sino-Chadian cooperation are social
services, energy, infrastructure, and military assistance.
The U.S. has regular contacts with Chinese officials (the
Ambassador has bi-weekly meetings with the four Permfive
Ambassadors resident in N'djamena on regional security,
humanitarian affairs, and political development),but we have
no cooperation on specific projects. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Chinese engagement in Chad, as discussed in ref B,
is very active in several key sectors:

-- Infrastructure: Chinese engineering firms have begun
construction of six roads covering ten kilometers in
N'djamena to build Chad's decrepit road network. The events
in February have stopped construction, but Chinese officials
tell us that it will begin again after the rainy season ends
(around October/November).

-- Energy: Chinese companies are investing in exploration of
new oil fields (Chinese National Petroleum Corporation --
CNPC -- is undertaking seismic studies) and continues to
consider a small-scale joint-venture oil refinery project
with the Chadian National Oil Company. According to Esso (the
ExxonMobil-led oil consortium that exports Chadian petroleum
through Cameroon),talks continue with CNPC about shipping
CNPC's eventual crude oil via the Chad-Cameroon pipeline that
Esso operates.

-- Social Services: China currently provides doctors, nurses,
and medical technicians, pharmaceuticals, and equipment in
the health sector. The Chinese government has sent nine
doctors to work at one of the two main hospitals in N'djamena
and has shipped hospital equipment, including x-ray machines,
to Chadian hospitals. The Chinese government also provides
scholarships to around 30 Chadians to study at Chinese
universities each year. China will build three schools in
N'djamena and in rural areas.

-- Military: In the absence of greater transparency in terms
of activities and assistance, it is difficult to ascertain
exactly how the Chinese government is militarily engaging in
Chad. Nonetheless, the Chinese tell us that the Chinese
government has targeted Chadian staff military training
(similar to U.S. IMET programs). We also understand that the
Chinese have sold weapons to the Chadians but we are unaware
to what extent or what agreements exist between the Chadian
and Chinese militaries. The Chinese do not admit to having a
resident defense attache in N'djamena.

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Cooperation - Now and in the Future
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3. (SBU) The Mission engages with the Chinese on various
issues, but particularly on policies and activities related
to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, regional security, and
political development. The Ambassador has bi-weekly meetings
with the four Permfive Ambassadors resident in Chad to
discuss regional security, political development, and
humanitarian issues, which the Chinese Ambassador attends. As
the Chinese appear to be already heavily involved in those
areas where the U.S. is most active, the likely areas of
future bilateral cooperation continue to be energy, regional
security, political development, and healthcare development.
NIGRO