Update on US-China-Africa Relations
China Sends Another 120 Army Peacekeepers to South Sudan
China has sent 120 troops to South Sudan as part of a 700-member U.N. peacekeeping force, deepening its commitment to the troubled East African nation where two Chinese peacekeepers were killed in fighting over the summer. Once the entire battalion is deployed, they will replace Chinese peacekeepers currently in place, the second battalion to be deployed to South Sudan to protect civilians, U.N. staff and humanitarian workers, conduct patrols and provide security escorts. President Xi Jinping said last year that China would also set up a permanent peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops to be deployed whenever necessary.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/china-sends-120-army-peacekeepers-south-sudan-43998003
Product tanker Eliana was attacked by pirates in Gulf of Guinea
The product tanker Eliana was attacked by pirates in Gulf of Guinea on 60 nautical miles west off Brass, Nigeria. The vessel was in route from Port Harcourt to Lagos proceeding on safe distance from shore with security guards on board. The accident was reported to the Nigerian navy and local authorities. The pirates spend some hours on board of the tanker, stealing valuables from the crew cabins and cash from the ship’s office. Also damages the navigation and communication equipment, before abandoning the vessel and heading in unknown direction.
http://www.maritimeherald.com/2016/product-tanker-eliana-was-attacked-by-pirates-in-gulf-of-guinea/
Overseas supply hub gets a push
Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, met with officers working at China’s first overseas supply facility in Djibouti, the Defense Ministry said on Friday. Fan was the first senior military official to visit the facility. The purpose of the supply facility, on which construction began in February, is to resupply Chinese naval ships taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, the ministry said. During his meeting with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Fan said the two countries had achieved remarkable results in personnel training, naval escorts and supplies, and participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2016-11/26/content_39791298.htm
White paper says China on forefront in int’l peacekeeping
According to the white paper titled “The Right to Development: China’s Philosophy, Practice and Contribution,” China has to date sent 33,000 military, police and civilian personnel to join UN peacekeeping missions. It said in order to support and improve peacekeeping operations, China will join the new UN peacekeeping standby mechanism, take the lead in establishing regular peacekeeping police force units, and organize peacekeeping standby forces. In the coming five years China will train 2,000 peacekeeping personnel for other countries, launch 10 mine sweeping aid programs, provide 100 million US dollars of non-reimbursable military aid to the African Union, and allocate part of the China-UN Peace and Development Fund to support UN peacekeeping operations, the white paper said.
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1021324.shtml
No more overseas naval bases, says China
China’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday sought to end speculation that Beijing was planning to build additional naval bases apart from the one in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. “As for what you’ve said about whether China will build logistics supply facilities in other places, I’ve not heard any news about this,” Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said in response to a question during his monthly press conference. Col. Yang said there were no hiccups in the construction of the Djibouti base, which was required to help fulfil China’s international obligations.
