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Recently, the Embassy of the United States in Liberia posted a message on its Facebook account and “African Star” website. It warns African countries, including Liberia, not to use Chinese technology, claims that China’s aid has caused a huge “debt trap” for African countries, and accuses China of “stealing” American intellectual property and trade secrets. The article maliciously slanders and groundlessly speculates on Chinese technology and China-Africa cooperation, which is totally unfounded, full of “cold war” mentality, political prejudice and typical bullying. It has exposed the evil intention and political motivation of the US side, in an attempt to mislead the people of Liberia and Africa by spreading rumors and to undermine and obstruct the deepening China-Africa cooperation.
In the article, the US side claimed that Chinese technology is attached to the government, and there are risks of data collection and cyber security. Taking China’s aid to the African Union headquarters building as so-called “evidence”, the US side accused China of secretly installing electronic equipment to collect data, thus misleading Liberia to be alert of the “security risk” in such projects as the Ministerial Complex and the terminal building of the Roberts International Airport constructed by Chinese companies.
Last year, the US and some Western media repeatedly cooked the story of China’s “interception” of the AU headquarters, which was purely fabricated FAKE NEWS! China has never carried out any so-called “data collecting” activity through its aid projects including in Africa, and many African leaders and the Chairperson of the AU Commission have publicly refuted them. This rumor has already been rubbished by African friends. It is obvious that the “old news” is now picked up again by the US Embassy in Liberia with mean heart, and it is a typical trick of a thief crying “stop thief”.
As is known to all, the United States is the setter of a bad example threatening cyber security of the world. In recent years, the documents leaked by WikiLeaks, the “Prism Gate ”scandal disclosed by Edward Snowden, “Equation Group”, the “Echelon System” and other incidents show that, for a long time, the US has been recklessly and secretly intercepting in various countries around the world, including its own allies and has collected user information wantonly through the platforms of American Internet giants. US Secretary of State Pompeo said himself, “I was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). We lied, we cheated, we stole, and we had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American Experiment (regime change backing)”. It’s jaw-dropping to be so brazen. The United States itself is full of stains, but it is still talking about “Clean Network”, claiming to protect the privacy of American citizens and sensitive trade secrets of American enterprises. In fact, China has always been the target and victim of American cyber attacks. It is reported that each year, the United States controls over 3 million computers in China and implants Trojans into more than 3,600 websites in China. The United States has also repeatedly accused China of “stealing” intellectual property, but it has failed to produce apparent evidence. The fact is, China has always respected and protected intellectual property and actively carried out dialogue and cooperation on intellectual property protection. The purpose of the US slandering and defaming is obvious. Its essence is to suppress Chinese technology enterprises and hinder China’s development process.
Recently, the United States has used state power to intensify the suppression of enterprises with Chinese ancestry, such as Huawei, WeChat and Tiktok. Wantonly suppressing Chinese enterprises with state power is a demonstration of putting political plots above market principles and international rules, which will also damage the rights and interests of American users and companies. Furthermore, these steps will only result in moral decline, national image damage and international trust deficit of the US, which will eventually make itself suffer the consequences.
The US side also asserted that China’s aid to Africa was ill-intentioned and caused a huge “hidden debt trap” for African countries. In fact, unlike the United States and some other western countries, China never attaches any political condition to its loans and assistance to Africa. China pays close attention to debt sustainability of recipient countries and fully respects the will of relevant governments. By funding infrastructure and other areas where the recipient countries urgently need to develop and have funding gaps, China helps relevant countries overcome development bottlenecks and enhance their capacity for independent development, thus promoting sustainable economic and social development and improving local people’s livelihood. This has been warmly welcomed by the recipient governments and people.
There is no justification at all for US to sow discord for China-Africa cooperation. On June 17 this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping, when presiding over the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 in Beijing, pointed out that China will cancel African countries’ interest-free loan debt to China due by the end of 2020 under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. At the same time, China is ready to work with the international community to increase its support for African countries that are severely stricken by the coronavirus and with heavy financial burden, by such means as further extending debt suspension to help them overcome current financial difficulties.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. China’s assistance to Africa is always a “timely help”, and China sincerely seeks to bring benefits to Africa’s development and happiness to African people. Whether China-Africa and China-Liberia cooperation are good or not, only the people of China and Africa have the most say. The two annexes of the Capitol Building, the Ministerial Complex in Monrovia and the terminal building of Roberts International Airport aided by China have become landmark buildings of Liberia. The airport expressway built by the Chinese side has also become an indispensable traffic artery, which effectively helps Liberia to attract foreign investment and promote economic and social development of Liberia. Since 2003, China has dispatched 13 medical teams totaling 132 doctors to Liberia to provide free medical services for local people. When Liberia was hit by Ebola and COVID-19 epidemic, China took the lead in helping and stood firmly with the people of Liberia. So far the Chinese government has provided three batches of aid materials, including face masks, thermometers and respirators, to Liberia to fight COVID-19. The 14th Military Hospital and Tappita Hospital constructed by Chinese companies, are designated hospitals for treating patients with COVID-19, which have played and are still playing a key role in fighting the epidemic. Facts speak louder than words, and justice is in the hearts of the people. We believe that African people, including the Liberian people, have better understanding of China-Africa relationship and can make independent and fair judgments on the remarks that discredit and vilify China-Africa and China-Liberia cooperation, and will not be deceived by the unreasonable accusations against China by the US side. Enough is enough for the tricks of the United States to spread rumors, frame up and slander others.
After the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic this year, China adhered to the people-centered principle and took effective measures to quickly curb the COVID-19 epidemic. At the same time, China actively shared its anti-epidemic experience and provided medical aid to other countries in the world, including Africa, in a responsible manner, to help the international community to save more lives. In contrast, due to ineffective prevention and control measures, the number of confirmed infections and death tolls in the United States keeps rising every day. In order to divert public attention, the US government has tried its best to politicize, label and stigmatize the epidemic, frequently shifting blames on China. The United States has even announced withdrawal from the World Health Organization, disregarding the much needed international collaboration in fighting the epidemic and the health and well-being of people in developing countries including Africa. During the difficult times, a number of Liberian citizens have been forcibly repatriated by the United States, posing risks for the Liberian people to be infected with COVID-19. The pandemic is still raging globally. The US side, instead of focusing on prevention and control of the epidemic situation at home, has made up rumors on China-Africa and China-Liberia cooperation in order to confuse the public. This is really absurd and disgusting.
China and Africa are thousands of miles apart, but we have enjoyed a longtime and profound friendship. As good brothers, good friends and good partners, China and Africa have fought shoulder to shoulder in the process of striving for national liberation and political independence, marched side by side on the road of national construction and independent development, and are like-minded in the struggle to promote a multi-polar world and democratization of international relations. China has always attached importance to, respected and supported Africa, never sought geopolitical self-interests in Africa, never imposed its will on others, and has embarked on an approach of cooperation with Africa which is totally different from that of traditional big powers. In recent years, with the deepening of political mutual trust, the continuous expansion of economic and trade cooperation and the increasingly close people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two sides, China and Africa have become a closely related community of shared future which shares weal and woe.
No matter how the international situation changes in the future, China will uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, and the right approach to justice and the pursuit of interests, and unswervingly work together with Liberia and Africa to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.
The views expressed in the article are of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Liberia.
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