China dismissed a Taiwan accusation of buying diplomatic recognition in Africa with $250-million in aid and loans on Tuesday, saying it was like a burglar shouting: ”Stop thief!”
Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province, said Beijing had offered five African nations aid, loans and debt write-offs during recent state visits, highlighting tit-for-tat accusations of chequebook diplomacy between the political rivals.
”Our relations with African countries are based on equality, mutual benefit and respect,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao told a news conference.
”Those kinds of accusations are groundless.”
Taiwan and China say publicly they do not use economic means to win political allies. China considers self-ruled Taiwan a part of Chinese territory rather than as a country and forbids Chinese diplomatic partners from any official dealings with the island.
China has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the self-governed democracy of 23-million people back under mainland rule, by force if necessary.
But each side accuses the other of offering generous incentives, such as easy loans and grants, to win diplomatic recognition from smaller, less developed countries, which have a history of switching alliances when offered more aid.
”If compared to the past, it’s obvious that the amount of money has increased a lot,” Wu Teh-yang, the Taiwan Foreign Ministry’s acting director of African affairs, said of China’s efforts during the recent Africa trip.
During the trip, Chad and China signed deals worth $80-million, including aid, the African country said.
China also agreed to give Guinea Bissau $60-million in agricultural loans, forgive $30-million in debt to Benin and another $11-million in debt to the Central African Republic, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said.
China’s Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday China had donated ”office supplies and stationery” worth $64 000 to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Taiwan has formal diplomatic relations with two dozen countries, including four in Africa. The oil-producing Saharan nation of Chad was formerly a fifth Taiwan ally, but broke ties last summer and switched to China.
Chinese and African officials have confirmed some aid figures. Wu declined to say how Taiwan determined the full total.
Taiwan has recently decided to make its own donations. It just pledged to Kenya, Malawi and Swaziland medical aid for drought relief and poverty alleviation. Kenya is in line for about $2-million worth of aid and Swaziland for $2,85-million, Wu said.
Malawi and Swaziland are Taiwan diplomatic allies. — Reuters