BEIJING - Abductions in Sudan and Egypt highlight the dangers facing China's workers abroad and led Beijing to reassess a long-stated policy of non-interference as its foreign interests grow, analysts say.
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China has been sending workers to Africa since the 1950s to build roads and railways, but investment has surged in the past 15 years as the Asian powerhouse sought to secure the resources it needs to fuel its booming economy.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb6 s9 y. E0 a3 E- D' K$ ?+ _' z4 E* E6 g
( C: l# n+ }8 [# tTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。Trade between Africa and China topped US$120 billion (S$149 billion) last year, a jump from less than US$20 billion (S$25 billion) a decade earlier, and experts say China's interests on the continent are shifting to investing in institutions and governments.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb B% m: X0 y( r1 u) T3 N
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Jonathan Holslag, a researcher at the Brussels Institute of Contemporary Chinese Studies, said the presence of Chinese workers in some of the world's most unstable areas was making them a target for criminals.
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"Armed gangs increasingly consider Chinese labourers an easy target for ransom," said Holslag. "Especially in Africa, China's growing economic presence has stumbled into growing insecurity."
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He made the comments after the abduction late last month of 29 Chinese workers by rebels in Sudan's South Kordofan state.
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. W8 E: x' u2 k8 Y& FThat was followed on Tuesday by the capture of 25 Chinese workers in Egypt by Bedouins demanding the release of relatives imprisoned by the fallen regime of Hosni Mubarak. The Chinese were soon freed.TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。* m& P, ^5 h" `& d, \
% r! U& ]1 Z! \; x, htvb now,tvbnow,bttvbChinese workers have been killed in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria, while others have had to be evacuated when violence has broken out.
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Last year, China conducted its biggest and most expensive rescue mission when it evacuated 36,000 of its nationals from Libya, where it has substantial oil interests, as the country descended into civil war.
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! D5 y& M0 O- Q+ G+ H v9 Ewww2.tvboxnow.comThe violence led to heavy losses for Chinese businesses, which had around US$18.8 billion (S$23.5 billion) worth of contracts in Libya. |