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Chinese
President Hu Jintao has made
a brief stop in Liberia as
part of an eight-country
diplomatic tour of Africa.
Some Liberians say they are
excited to reap the benefits
of increased relations with
China. Others say they are
wary of how it could affect
relationships with Western
nations. Kari Barber reports
from our West Africa bureau
in Dakar.
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Chinese and Liberian
flags line the
streets of Monrovia
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Chinese and
Liberian flags lined the
streets of Monrovia, as some
people held signs in support
of Mr. Hu's visit.
The one-day
stop was an opportunity for
Mr. Hu to hold talks with
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's
government, and to visit a
new joint Chinese-Liberian
malaria center funded by
China.
The program
manager of the National
Malaria Program in Liberia,
Tolbert Nyenswah, says he is
eager to work with Chinese
researchers.
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Liberians gather in
support of President
Hu Jintao's visit |
"The coming
of the Chinese president to
Liberia to open a center for
malaria research, prevention
and curing is an added boost
to our own efforts of
preventing and controlling
the disease in Liberia," he
said.
But not all
Liberians are happy about
the government's dealings
with China.
Business
owner Clitus Tito says he is
concerned how China's
interest in Liberia could
affect the country's
long-standing relationship
with the United States.
"We are
calling on this government
to be very careful about how
she goes about her own
foreign policy because the
two powers are wanting
something, and then if they
go what becomes of Liberia's
interest will continue to be
languishing here," he said.
During the
Cold War, Liberia received
hundreds of million of
dollars in U.S. assistance
while it was under a
military dictatorship.
Critics have
warned that China's
hands-off economic policies
could propagate bad
governments in Africa.
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Liberians welcome
the arrival of
President Hu Jintao |
Alex Vines of
the British-based Royal
Institute of International
Affairs says Liberia has
some economic opportunities
to entice China's interest,
such as the newly re-opened
logging industry and access
to ports. But, he says, this
trip is about consolidating
China's diplomatic influence
on the continent.
"This is
about promoting the Chinese
image that China, after the
very frenetic activity of
2006, continues to be
interested. It is also about
China making a statement in
Liberia that it is
supportive of the
post-conflict government and
it also rewards countries
who shift allegiances from
Taiwan to China," he said.
The next
stop on the Chinese
president's agenda is Sudan.
International pressure has
been strong for China to use
its influence to seek
resolution in the Darfur
conflict.
China is a
major buyer of Sudanese oil,
while human rights groups
have accused Chinese arms
manufacturers of arming both
sides of the conflict. China
denies this while saying
they apply the principle of
non-interference.
Saturday Mr.
Hu is expected in Zambia
where anti-Chinese sentiment
has been strong and then on
to Namibia, South Africa,
Mozambique and the
Seychelles.