China said on Thursday it remained fully committed to investing in Africa, despite a recent spate of violence against Chinese interests there, including the deaths of nine Chinese among the slaughter of 77 people in Ethiopia.
”China supports trans-national trade and investment between China and other countries, including those in Africa. This is our set policy, it will not change,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao told reporters.
Liu had been asked to comment on the impact of recent attacks targeting Chinese nationals and projects abroad, including the killing on Tuesday of 77 people at a China-invested oil project in Ethiopia.
Seven other Chinese were also kidnapped in the attack.
Liu admitted the incidents had caught China by surprise and said the government would conduct more in-depth research into the security of its nationals and projects abroad.
”There are some new situations that we never expected to happen,” Liu said.
”During the process there have been some questions on security. The Chinese government will strengthen research on the security situation so that the security of Chinese enterprises engaging in investment, economic and trade cooperation can be further guaranteed in the future.”
The Ethiopia attack followed three separate kidnappings involving 14 Chinese workers in Nigeria this year. Two remain missing.
In Kenya, a Chinese engineer working on a road project was killed in January. — Sapa-AFP