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LiU GUiJin is a Chinese face familiar to many African Tv viewers. The 67-year-old has been involved with the continent for more than 30 years as a Chinese diplomat. he’s the first special Representative of the Chinese Government for African Affairs.
Liu flies to Africa often. “i can’t remember exactly how many times i’ve been to Africa since i retired from the post of Chinese Ambassador to south Africa and took the job as special Representative for African Affairs in 2007,” Liu told ChinAfrica. “Maybe more than 40 times.”
Liu feels passionate about Africa, which he describes as a land full of vigor and hope, but also a continent hindered by catastrophes. But his ties with Africa were quite fortuitous and the continent has left a deep impression on him.
Never a dull moment
Born in east China’s shandong Province in 1945, Liu graduated from shanghai international studies University, before starting his diplomatic career in 1972.
Liu first came to Africa in 1981 because of his wife, who then worked as an interpreter for the Chinese Ambassador in Kenya. “i was excited when i first reached nairobi,” recalled Liu. But soon, he encountered a big challenge, an abortive coup d’etat.
On August 1, 1982, some soldiers from an air force base in nanyuki attempted to overthrow President Daniel Arap Moi’s government. “At that time, coup d’etats took place frequently in Africa,” said Liu.
early that morning he was awakened by the crackling gunfire. “it was my first time to hear so many gunshots.”
he turned on the radio to hear the announcement from soldiers who seized control of the voice of Kenya radio station, asserting that Moi’s government was overthrown. Yet Liu wanted to confirm it was true by himself. “i am not easily convinced [about something] unless i see it,” said Liu.
he and one of his colleagues went out to see what happened from a car. They saw soldiers holding guns on the street and were eventually stopped by the rebels and forced to return.
“it was dangerous, but we were safe. That is my first experience of a coup,” said Liu. The coup was defeated within 24 hours. “But it destroyed nairobi. Many stores were broken and women raped.”
Getting arrested
his persistence in gaining first-hand information from the streets has occasionally got him into trouble. he was arrested in ethiopia while working in the Chinese embassy there from 1991-93. it was a chaotic period when the Mengistu regime was overthrown during a civil war and ethiopia’s Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (ePRDF) established a new government.
“When i was there, Addis Ababa was already surrounded by ePRDF forces and there wasn’t much time left for the Mengistu regime,” said Liu.
One day in April 1991, a British diplomat told Liu that a city about 100 km away from the capital was taken over by ePRDF forces.he went out to confirm if it’s true because “if it is, we would consider evacuation of the Chinese people from the capital,” Liu recalled.“But we need to make sure the information was accurate before making a decision.”
On the streets outside Addis Ababa Liu saw few cars, but many trucks carrying troops. Driving until reaching a dam near the nile Liu said he knew that Addis Ababa was still safe and the news he got was not true.
however shortly afterwards Liu and his colleague were arrested by soldiers at gunpoint.
After mediation of the Chinese embassy, Liu and his colleague were immediately released. Finally, Addis Ababa was taken over by the ePRDF. “ePRDF troops,which were called rebels at that time, were actually a well-disciplined force with far-sighted vision,”said Liu. “They did not encroach on any interests of ours and deployed troops to protect foreign embassies in the capital.”
Working for FOCAC
Liu also participated in the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which he described as one of the most important projects in his diplomat career. he was then director general of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
however, he said, it’s rarely known that FOCAC was initiated by Lila hanitra Ratsifandrihamanana, then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar.
During his visit to China in late 1999, Ratsifandrihamanana proposed a platform be set up for multilateral dialogue between China and African countries, while talking with Chinese Foreign Minster Tang Jiaxuan.
“i believe we could at least do two things for African countries through FOCAC: exempting African countries’ debts and training African people in human resources development,” said Liu.
serving as secretary general of the Preparing Committee of FOCAC meant more work and responsibilities for Liu, due to the lack of experience in preparing a multilateral exchange mechanism. he said he learned many “bitter lessons” during the process, and very often he could not go to sleep for several days.“i was totally exhausted.”
even late at night of the day before the opening of the first Ministerial Conference of FOCAC, Liu and his African counterparts were still discussing issues needing a consensus.
More for Durfur
Appointed as special Representative of the Chinese Government for African Affairs in 2007, Liu retired from the post of Chinese Ambassador to south Africa, but his life got busier.
“The Darfur issue of sudan is the focus of my work,” said Liu, who has been to sudan around 20 times. “China has done a lot in this regard, including persuading the sudanese Government to accept the African Union/United nations hybrid Operation in Durfur. We are striving to do more,” said Liu.
“You can imagine the vast area of refugee camps there [in Darfur] and millions of people living there; it is really a shocking scene,” said Liu, adding he was preparing for the next trip to the country with as much passion for the work he is doing on the continent today as he had when he first set foot on the continent all those years ago.
Liu flies to Africa often. “i can’t remember exactly how many times i’ve been to Africa since i retired from the post of Chinese Ambassador to south Africa and took the job as special Representative for African Affairs in 2007,” Liu told ChinAfrica. “Maybe more than 40 times.”
Liu feels passionate about Africa, which he describes as a land full of vigor and hope, but also a continent hindered by catastrophes. But his ties with Africa were quite fortuitous and the continent has left a deep impression on him.
Never a dull moment
Born in east China’s shandong Province in 1945, Liu graduated from shanghai international studies University, before starting his diplomatic career in 1972.
Liu first came to Africa in 1981 because of his wife, who then worked as an interpreter for the Chinese Ambassador in Kenya. “i was excited when i first reached nairobi,” recalled Liu. But soon, he encountered a big challenge, an abortive coup d’etat.
On August 1, 1982, some soldiers from an air force base in nanyuki attempted to overthrow President Daniel Arap Moi’s government. “At that time, coup d’etats took place frequently in Africa,” said Liu.
early that morning he was awakened by the crackling gunfire. “it was my first time to hear so many gunshots.”
he turned on the radio to hear the announcement from soldiers who seized control of the voice of Kenya radio station, asserting that Moi’s government was overthrown. Yet Liu wanted to confirm it was true by himself. “i am not easily convinced [about something] unless i see it,” said Liu.
he and one of his colleagues went out to see what happened from a car. They saw soldiers holding guns on the street and were eventually stopped by the rebels and forced to return.
“it was dangerous, but we were safe. That is my first experience of a coup,” said Liu. The coup was defeated within 24 hours. “But it destroyed nairobi. Many stores were broken and women raped.”
Getting arrested
his persistence in gaining first-hand information from the streets has occasionally got him into trouble. he was arrested in ethiopia while working in the Chinese embassy there from 1991-93. it was a chaotic period when the Mengistu regime was overthrown during a civil war and ethiopia’s Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (ePRDF) established a new government.
“When i was there, Addis Ababa was already surrounded by ePRDF forces and there wasn’t much time left for the Mengistu regime,” said Liu.
One day in April 1991, a British diplomat told Liu that a city about 100 km away from the capital was taken over by ePRDF forces.he went out to confirm if it’s true because “if it is, we would consider evacuation of the Chinese people from the capital,” Liu recalled.“But we need to make sure the information was accurate before making a decision.”
On the streets outside Addis Ababa Liu saw few cars, but many trucks carrying troops. Driving until reaching a dam near the nile Liu said he knew that Addis Ababa was still safe and the news he got was not true.
however shortly afterwards Liu and his colleague were arrested by soldiers at gunpoint.
After mediation of the Chinese embassy, Liu and his colleague were immediately released. Finally, Addis Ababa was taken over by the ePRDF. “ePRDF troops,which were called rebels at that time, were actually a well-disciplined force with far-sighted vision,”said Liu. “They did not encroach on any interests of ours and deployed troops to protect foreign embassies in the capital.”
Working for FOCAC
Liu also participated in the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which he described as one of the most important projects in his diplomat career. he was then director general of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
however, he said, it’s rarely known that FOCAC was initiated by Lila hanitra Ratsifandrihamanana, then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar.
During his visit to China in late 1999, Ratsifandrihamanana proposed a platform be set up for multilateral dialogue between China and African countries, while talking with Chinese Foreign Minster Tang Jiaxuan.
“i believe we could at least do two things for African countries through FOCAC: exempting African countries’ debts and training African people in human resources development,” said Liu.
serving as secretary general of the Preparing Committee of FOCAC meant more work and responsibilities for Liu, due to the lack of experience in preparing a multilateral exchange mechanism. he said he learned many “bitter lessons” during the process, and very often he could not go to sleep for several days.“i was totally exhausted.”
even late at night of the day before the opening of the first Ministerial Conference of FOCAC, Liu and his African counterparts were still discussing issues needing a consensus.
More for Durfur
Appointed as special Representative of the Chinese Government for African Affairs in 2007, Liu retired from the post of Chinese Ambassador to south Africa, but his life got busier.
“The Darfur issue of sudan is the focus of my work,” said Liu, who has been to sudan around 20 times. “China has done a lot in this regard, including persuading the sudanese Government to accept the African Union/United nations hybrid Operation in Durfur. We are striving to do more,” said Liu.
“You can imagine the vast area of refugee camps there [in Darfur] and millions of people living there; it is really a shocking scene,” said Liu, adding he was preparing for the next trip to the country with as much passion for the work he is doing on the continent today as he had when he first set foot on the continent all those years ago.