[Don’t let China’s soft words fool you. The Chinese are supporting the worst scum in Africa. Neither the Russians nor the Chinese have any problem selling weapons to the worst offenders. Keep watching them as they help to keep Mugabe and assorted terrorist/communist scum in power. Jan]

China rolls out red carpet for Africa

China said last week the presidents of Sudan and Zimbabwe would attend a key African summit in Beijing next week, but fended off criticism about the motives of its involvement on the continent. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir and Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe would attend the China-Africa Co-operation Forum along with heads of state and government from more than 40 African countries. He fended off Western criticism of its partnership with these regimes, arguing China’s ongoing co-operation with them has been conducted in a way that benefited their people. “We don’t think China and Africa’s development of friendly relations under the basis of equality and mutual benefits is wrong,” he said. “The key is the welfare of Chinese and African people and Africa’s economic development as well as the interest of the long-term future between the two countries. We don’t understand why some people have to criticise China over this. If the whole world acts according to one standard, it would be difficult to imagine who Africa can co-operate with.” International rights groups have accused China of allowing military equipment to be sent to Sudan, despite widespread killings, rapes and abductions by government armed forces in Darfur. China, which is strengthening its alliance with Zimbabwe, has been urged to isolate Mugabe’s regime over its slum clearances, which left 700 000 Zimbabweans homeless and destitute. Eight African countries with whom China has diplomatic relations will not send heads of government or state but rather high-level delegations to the forum from November 3-5, he said.

From The Cape Argus, 29 October
Source: WWW.ZwNews.Com