China’s intent ‘distorted’

DJIBOUTI BASE: AIDS PEACEKEEPING NOT TO LAUNCH ATTACKS – ENVOY

59% see China’s influence in Africa as mostly positive.

On 14 September, The

Citizen newspaper carried an oped written by Thembisa Fakude on China’s logistic support base in Djibouti.

Fakude attempted to distort the friendly relations between China and African countries and to sow discord. I make several points in response.

The US, France, Japan and some other major countries have military bases in Djibouti. The US military base there is its largest permanent military base in Africa.

The report, however, targeted China’s logistic support base in Djibouti. It even claimed China might use this base to tighten its grip on Africa and attack other African countries.

This report shows malicious bias and makes unwarranted accusations.

The fact is that China’s construction of a logistic support base in Djibouti followed consultations between the Chinese and Djibouti governments and it serves the interests of both.

The base is mainly used to provide support for the Chinese navy’s participation in escort, peacekeeping and humanitarian relief missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

It assists the Chinese navy to carry out overseas missions, such as military cooperation, joint exercises and training, the evacuation and protection of overseas Chinese and emergency relief.

China can better fulfil its international obligations and work with other parties to safeguard the security of international strategic passageways and the peace and stability of Africa and the world at large.

China has always played a constructive role in affairs bearing on Africa’s peace and security and helped African countries enhance capacity building for peace and security.

Seventy-five percent of China’s peacekeeping dues are channelled to Africa and 80% of China’s peacekeeping personnel are deployed in Africa. Over 2 000 Chinese peacekeepers are serving in seven African regions.

Since 2008, China has sent 35 naval escort fleet missions to the waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, escorting more than 6 700 ships from other countries. China has also set up a China-Africa Peace and Security Cooperation Fund.

China is committed to peaceful development. A recent survey by Afrobarometer in 18 African countries showed that 59% of their people believed China’s economic and political influence in Africa was mostly positive.

Du Ping is director of the information office at the Chinese embassy in SA