VZCZCXRO9625
PP RUEHGI RUEHRN
DE RUEHLGB #0055 0271723
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271723Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6610
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP 0162
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0361

UNCLAS KIGALI 000055 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID CH CG RW
SUBJECT: CHINESE VICE FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS RWANDA 
 
¶1. (SBU) Chinese Vice Foreign Minister for African Affairs 
Zhai Jun visited Rwanda January 25-27.  During his stay, he 
met with President Kagame, Foreign Minister Mushikiwabo, 
other senior officials and businessmen.  He also visited the 
main genocide memorial at Gisozi as well as sites outside of 
Kigali (NFI).   According to local media, Jun said after his 
meeting with Mushikiwabo that China was "ready to work with 
other members of the international community to play a 
constructive role in promoting long-term stability and 
security in the Great Lakes region," and he reportedly 
praised improved relations between Rwanda and the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo (DRC) as well as Rwanda-DRC cooperation 
against armed groups in eastern DRC.  (Note:  A January 26 
Xinhua story on the meeting between Jun and Kagame focused 
exclusively on bilateral China-Rwanda relations, and did not 
mention broader Great Lakes issues.  End Note.) 
 
¶2. (SBU) Local media also reported that Jun and Mushikiwabo 
on January 25 signed agreements on $30 million in soft 
loans--financing promised by the Chinese to Rwanda at the 
November 2009 China-Africa summit in Egypt--but that the two 
governments had not yet decided what specific project(s) to 
support. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Chinese Embassy told polcouns that Jun planned 
to travel to Addis Ababa after leaving Kigali, and that he 
would not visit the DRC during his trip. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  Kagame has been outspoken in his defense 
of close ties, especially trade and investment, between China 
and African countries.  Prime Minister Makuza attended 
celebrations for China's October 1 national day, an event the 
Foreign Minister would normally attend.  The Chinese, for 
their part, make periodic high-level visits to Rwanda; 
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi himself visited Rwanda 
in January 2009.  End Comment. 
SYMINGTON