Chinese peacekeeping troops on Eritrea - Djibouti border — China is considering to send peacekeeping troops to the disputed Djibouti-Eritrea border as well as taking over the mediation role back from Qatar.

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

China would consider sending peacekeeping troops to a disputed Djibouti-Eritrea border region after Qatar pulled out its troops last month, China’s top diplomat to the African Union said Friday, as the Asian giant’s military role overseas grows.

China also would consider stepping in to mediate the dispute between the East African nations if asked, Kuang Weilin told The Associated Press.

This month, China dispatched members of its army to Djibouti to man its first overseas military base. The move is a key in a wide-ranging expansion of China’s armed forces in step with the country’s growing economic and political footprint.

Qatar withdrew 450 peacekeeping troops from the contested Dumeriah mountain area in June while caught up in its own diplomatic clash with other Arab nations. It had mediated the territorial dispute and its peacekeepers had been deployed after a 2010 cease-fire deal.

China hopes the Djibouti-Eritrea border issue will be “solved amicably,” Kuang said.

China is relatively new to peacekeeping but already is the biggest contributor of peacekeepers among the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, with more than 2,500 deployed on U.N. missions as of the end of June.

There currently is no U.N. mission in Djibouti or Eritrea.

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Djibouti is already home to the United States’ only permanent military base in Africa, Camp Lemonnier, while France, Britain, Japan and other nations also maintain a military presence in the small but strategically located Horn of Africa nation.

China’s base in Djibouti “will only have logistical purposes, not defense capabilities,” Kuang said.

President Isaias Holds Talks with Chinese Communist Party Delegation

President Isaias meeting with China delegation at Sawa Military Academy — President Isaias meeting with China delegation at Sawa Military Training Academy. (Photo: MOI Eritrea)

BY SHABAIT

(Asmara, 19 July 2017) – A high-level delegation from the People’s Republic of China Communist Party headed by Mr. Cui Shaopeng, Deputy Minister of State in the Commission Office of Public Sector Reforms, held talks with President Isaias Afwerki and senior PFDJ officials in Sawa.

During the meeting held on 14 July, President Isaias underlined the significance of developing the existing relations between the Chinese Communist Party and the PFDJ as well as the two governments to the highest level.

President Isaias further underscored the PRC’s responsibility to work for the realization of justice, peace and stability in the region and at global level. Noting that relations between Eritrea and the PRC is strategic and based on mutual understanding and cooperation, the PRC delegation expressed resolve to work for higher cooperation in all sectors.

In the second day of the meeting, Mr. Hagos Gebrehiwet, Head of PFDJ Economic Affairs, gave briefing on the political and economic situation in Eritrea as well as front and government relations.

Following exchange of views and experiences, the two sides reached understanding to develop relations between the two countries. Present at the meeting were Mr. Yang Zigang, PRC Ambassador to Eritrea and other Embassy members.