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Africa Subsaharan
China (!) ships food aid to Zimbabwe
2008-01-04
China is sending 5,000 metric tons of food aid to Zimbabwe, official media reports, to help the African nation cope with dire food shortages. China's deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe made the announcement, adding that the two countries wanted to increase trade to $500m (£253m) in 2008. More than 3m Zimbabweans, 25% of the population, depend on UN food aid.

An official crop assessment after last year's harvest in May estimated the country had about a 1m ton shortfall. The UN World Food Programme said last year that a poor harvest and the country's worsening economic situation meant hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans were running out of food. It said the crisis was set to peak between November and March.

China has been expanding its presence in southern Africa. Deputy Chinese ambassador Ma Deyun said the food aid "will soon arrive", Zimbabwe's official Herald newspaper reported. She was speaking at a ceremony marking the delivery of 97 Chinese-made trucks, fulfilling an order from the Zimbabwean government.

"The Chinese people will be an equal, sincere and reliable friend... of the Zimbabwean regime people," Ms Deyun said.
Posted by:Seafarious

#18  WAFF.com > THE NEXT GREAT GAME. World power blocs including Radical Islamism versus Africa.

Speaking of food, ISRAEL KILLS 4000 SUSPECTED CHICKENS. The Feathers/Season of Poultry Discontent???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2008-01-04 22:32  

#17  Kimmie kept their trains, think ZimBob will take the hint?
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-01-04 21:13  

#16  Wrong link.

Anyway...what China wants is the minerals under ZimBob, not their friendship.
Posted by: Pappy   2008-01-04 18:35  

#15  Let me see 5*10^8/1.2*10^7 = 41.66 gr
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2008-01-04 14:28  

#14  Ha ha...it's pretty pathetic that the best that China can do is make friends with failed African kleptocracies.

It's not the friendship China is interested in. It's this.
Posted by: Pappy   2008-01-04 13:55  

#13  this calls for a reading from the Soviet-era book of subversive jokes (the jewel of my collection)

Mao sent a telegram to Krushchev: China starves. Please send food.

Krushchev sent a telegram to Mao: Tighten your belts.

Mao sent a telegram to Krushchev: Please send belts.
Posted by: Querent   2008-01-04 12:55  

#12  The breadbasket of Africa gets food from China? socialism is pathetic.
Posted by: newc   2008-01-04 12:54  

#11  "The Chinese people will be an equal, sincere and reliable friend... of the Zimbabwean regime people," Ms Deyun said. (
Wow! Good for them. About time someone else helps pick up the tab they all expect from us. Sounds like the Chinese are grasping the concept of equality and are demonstrating leadership that others at the UN have failed to do.
Posted by: Danielle   2008-01-04 11:49  

#10  Sorry, wrong thread.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-01-04 11:29  

#9  Chavez said Venezuelans were not yet mature enough for socialism.

Oooooh, that's going to leave a mark.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-01-04 11:26  

#8  Kin I get me some wings? N mebbe a pack a dem knockoff marlboros?
Posted by: Farmin B. Hard   2008-01-04 08:51  

#7  In a sense this is good, drain China for a while.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-01-04 07:40  

#6  "More than 3m Zimbabweans, 25% of the population, depend on UN food aid."

The former bread basket of Africa has fallen to this, with the UN's blessing.
Posted by: Bulldog   2008-01-04 04:37  

#5  Check for lead.
Posted by: gorb   2008-01-04 02:51  

#4  Deputy Chinese ambassador Ma Deyun.
Posted by: gromky   2008-01-04 02:16  

#3  Chinese ambassador Ma Deyun. I hear a loud sucking sound, I think it's Zimbobwe on line three.
Posted by: Besoeker   2008-01-04 01:06  

#2  So - was it GM food?
Posted by: 3dc   2008-01-04 00:21  

#1  Ha ha...it's pretty pathetic that the best that China can do is make friends with failed African kleptocracies.

China sending food aid to other countries brings to mind horrible thoughts from the Great Leap Forward.
Posted by: gromky   2008-01-04 00:08  

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