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DE RUEHMV #0282/01 0601037
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 011037Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8136
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0256
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0008
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0036
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0004
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 0008

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 000282 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W-PDAVIS AND INR/AA-BGRAVES 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2017 
TAGS: EAID PREL LI CH
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: FEBRUARY 1 VISIT OF CHINESE PRESIDENT 
 
REF: A. MONROVIA 00066 
     ¶B. 06 MONROVIA 1553 
 
MONROVIA 00000282  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD E. BOOTH FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Liberia 
for a one-day visit February 1.  According to Chinese Embassy 
Political Counselor Gou Hao Dong, it was the first visit by a 
Chinese head of state to Liberia since the two countries 
first established diplomatic relations in 1977.   Gou told 
Poloff February 26 that both the Liberian and Chinese 
governments were "satisfied" with the visit and that the 
Chinese Government is now sure that Liberia will not 
reconsider its one-China policy.  Gou said China will provide 
the following to Liberia as a result of the visit: 1) US $1 
million for the Liberian Government to use at its discretion, 
2) US $10 million grant for rehabilitation of the University 
of Liberia's Fendell campus, 3) an anti-malaria treatment 
center for Monrovia's JFK Hospital, 4) three rural schools, 
5) an increased number of scholarships for Liberian students, 
6) cancellation of Liberia's matured debt up to 2005 (US $11 
million).  Gou told Poloff the Chinese Government will also 
establish a cultural center in Liberia.  Most of these 
deliverables had already been announced after President Ellen 
Johnson Sirleaf's November 2006 visit to China.  Deputy 
Minister of Foreign Relations for International Cooperation 
Conmany Wesseh told Poloff February 2 that the Liberian 
Government wants to see its friendship with China increase 
and encouraged the U.S. to work with the Chinese Government 
in Liberia.  End Summary. 
 
First Visit by Chinese Head of State 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Monrovia, 
Liberia for a one-day visit February 1.  The visit was filled 
with pomp and circumstance with Chinese and Liberian flags 
decorating Monrovia's streets and a state dinner hosted by 
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.  Chinese Embassy Political 
Counselor Gou Hao Dong noted to Poloff February 26 that it 
was the first visit of a Chinese head of state to Liberia 
since diplomatic relations were established for the first 
time between the two countries in 1977. Gou told Poloff that 
Liberia was added to President Hu Jintao's February tour of 
Africa after the Liberian President invited him to visit 
during her November state visit to China followed by her 
attendance at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (see Reftel 
B).  Gou said the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) 
provided logistical assistance to the Chinese Embassy for the 
visit and expressed appreciation that the U.S-trained Armed 
Forces of Liberia band was available to play at ceremonies 
during the visit. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Gou described the visit as "significant" and said 
both the Liberian and Chinese governments were "satisfied" 
with it and are committed to strengthening their bilateral 
relationship. Gou said the Chinese-Liberian bilateral 
relationship has had its "ups and downs", but the Chinese 
Government is sure that after President Hu Jintao's visit 
Liberia will not reconsider its one-China policy.  Gou said 
the Chinese Government was very concerned about security 
during the visit. (FYI - In April 2006, former Speaker of the 
House of Representatives Edwin Snowe wrote a letter to 
Taiwan's diplomatic mission in the Gambia proposing 
strengthening of relations between Liberia and Taiwan.  He 
was criticized by his legislative colleagues and the 
executive and apologized for his action in July 2006.  End 
FYI.) 
 
Deliverables 
------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Chinese Political Counselor told Poloff that 
several agreements were entered into between Liberia and 
China during President Hu Jintao's visit.  Gou stated that 
China will provide US $1 million in cash to the Liberian 
Government, which the Liberian Government will be free to 
spend as it deems most appropriate.  He said China will also 
provide a US $10 million grant for rehabilitation of the 
University of Liberia Fendell campus, which will be used for 
faculty housing and fencing. (FYI - USAID is also providing 
complementary funding for the rehabilitation of classrooms at 
the Fendell campus.)  Gou told Poloff China will set up an 
anti-malaria treatment center in Monrovia's JFK Hospital, one 
of fifteen that will be set up in Africa.  He noted that, 
 
MONROVIA 00000282  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
while Presidents Johnson Sirleaf and Hu Jintao unveiled the 
center February 1, it will not be up and running for another 
two or three months. Gou said China will provide 
anti-malarial medicine and technology and will bring Chinese 
physicians to train and work with Liberian medical staff and 
eventually turn over the running of the center to these 
trained Liberians.  Gou said the Chinese Government will 
build 3 schools in rural Liberia as part of 50 such schools 
to be built in Africa.  He noted that China is working with 
the Liberian Government to identify the sites for the 
schools.  Gou said that cultural exchanges will be 
strengthened and that a "Confucius Center" will be opened in 
Liberia.  Gou said that such centers, which China is setting 
up throughout the world and already exist in Egypt and Benin, 
provide Chinese language instruction and sponsor cultural 
performances and exchanges. Gou said the Chinese Government 
has agreed to increase the number of scholarships provided to 
Liberian students to study in China.  He said the majority of 
Liberian scholarship recipients to date have studied 
"practical" subjects such as rice production, computers, 
short-term medical training, and accounting. Gou stated that 
China has agreed to cancel Liberia's matured debt up to the 
end of 2005, which amounts to US $11 million. 
 
¶5. (C) Gou said more Chinese government officials are likely 
to visit Liberia, although no such visits are planned at this 
time.  He said a Ministerial visit is likely upon completion 
of Monrovia's Samuel K. Doe Sports Stadium, which is being 
rehabilitated by the Chinese Government.  Gou told Poloff 
that the building housing the Chinese Embassy in Monrovia, 
for which the Chinese Government pays a monthly rent of US 
$8,000, is owned by a daughter of former President Charles 
Taylor and that the Chinese Government is concerned that 
their rent is being used to benefit him. 
 
¶6. (C) Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations for International 
Cooperation and Economic Integration Conmany Wesseh told 
Poloff February 2 that the Liberia Government wants to see 
its friendship with China increase in order to consolidate 
peace in Liberia and the region and that Liberia accomplished 
what it wanted from the visit of President Hu Jintao.  Wesseh 
encouraged the U.S. to work with the Chinese Government in 
Liberia.  Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for African 
and Asian Affairs, Henry Fahnbulleh, told Poloff January 29 
that the Liberian Government wants to attract Chinese foreign 
investment.  He said President Johnson Sirleaf has stated 
that Liberia "does not need handouts"  because they are only 
short-term investments, but rather should seek long-term 
investments from partners. 
 
¶7. (C) Comment.  Hu Jintao's visit was heavy on ceremony, but 
thin on substance.  Most of the visit's deliverables, 
including the University of Liberia rehabilitation grant, the 
building of rural schools, the increase in scholarships for 
Liberian students, and the cancellation of Liberia's matured 
debt up to the end of 2005, had already been announced after 
President Johnson Sirleaf's November visit to China (see 
Reftel B).  Perhaps most significant is the fact that this is 
probably the death-knell for any GOL flirtation with 
recognizing Taiwan again.  End Comment. 
 
 
Booth