Chou Will Bid For Friends In Africa

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30312, 12 December 1963, Page 21

Chou Will Bid For Friends In Africa

(N^J ,^.~Rsutrr— Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 10. China will open a major effort this week to extend her contacts and influence in Africa when the Chinese Prime Minister (Mr Chou En-lai) will arrive in Cairo for a tong tour of the continent The importance of the tour in Chinese eyes will be underlined by the presence of a second leading Chinese figure. Marshal Chen Yi, a Vice-Premier and Foreign | Minister.

Marshal Chen will be joining Mr Chou in Cairo after he has attended the independence celebrations in Kenya on Friday. Officials in London are following closely the details of Mr Chou’s tour, which is regarded as marking a major new development in AfroAsian politics and East-West relations generally. Major Contender The tour is expected here to mark the emergence of China as a major contender m Africa, in competition with both the Soviet Union and the West. Mr Chou is the first top Communist leader other than President Tito of Jugoslavia and Mr Anastas Mikoyan, Soviet Deputy Prime Minister, to visit Africa. While the Chinese-Soviet contest tor the favour of newly-emerging States has been noticeable tor about two

years, it has become more acute since the MoscowPeking dispute became public. Although the Soviet Union has, in the opinion of Western observers, succeeded more in aid and technical assistance, the Chinese have vigorously extended their mfluence in various AfroAsian organisations, to the near exclusion of the Soviet Union. Tour of Capitals According to reports in London. Mr Chou’s African tour will last about two months, and take him to the following capitals: Cairo Algiers. Rabat, Tirana. Accra. Bamako. Conakry, and probably Dar-es-Salaam.

But no details or dates have yet been officially announced by Peking, and Western diplomats are relying on reports gathered from various African rapjtols.

There is also a possibility that Mr Chou and Marshal Chen will visit other African countries on the way, including Uganda and Somalia. China has diplomatic relations with 11 African nations: Morocco, Algeria, the United Arab Republic. Sudan. Somalia. Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanganyika, Ghana, Guinea, and Mali, diplomatic observers said. Nigeria and Sierra Leone are understood to have agreed in principle to diplomatic relations with Peking, but in practice nothing has been arranged. The Chinese Nationalist Government in Formosa has relations with Cameroon, Togo, both Congo republics, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, the Central African Republic. Chad Gabon. Senegal, and Mauretania, and agreements to establish relations with Dahomey, Ruanda and Upper Volta.