Malaria Champion

At the invitation of the Bureau for Chinese Diplomatic Missions Abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Times planned to interview Cui Yongqian on March 6. The interview had to be postponed however as Cui was suffering from malaria, caught on the way back from a visit to other provinces.

Several days later, Cui appeared ill in the company of Zhai Jun, director general of the Bureau for Chinese Diplomatic Missions Abroad. After more than ten days treatment in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuhan, Cui had blisters on his face, his voice sounding husky.

According to Cui, it is the years of work in Africa that tie him with malaria; back to his first mission in Burkina Faso where he caught malaria for the first time. From then on, malaria accompanied him first to Central Africa, then to DRC, even back to China. Within two years in DRC, he had suffered five bouts of malaria. To make this illness a double tragedy, Cui’s wife always accompanies him and she gets malaria every time he does. In 1999, while working in Central Africa, Cui’s wife suffered from malaria twice in one month, getting the nickname “single malaria champion”. Due to the fact that Cui also survives well in the field, this couple were awarded the title of “mixed double malaria champions” by the embassy.

The DRC government currently only controls one-third of its geopolitical area. The remainder is in the hands of two rebel factions: one in the east, in Gema, near Uganda; the other in the north, close to Central Africa. Both are more than 1,000 kilometers from the capital. In DRC, in addition to the UN mission to keep public order, ambassadors from five permanent members of the UN Security Council also work to promote peace. They facilitate regular consultation and mediation between the three parties.

The Chinese ambassador has entered rebel territory seven times over the past two years, meeting with group leaders to discuss possible ways forward. Limited by conditions, the ambassador and his team are brought to and from the meetings on board a supplies cargo plane provided by the UN. As the transport is somewhat old and dilapidated, travel is uncomfortable. The UN requires all passengers to sign a contract with them underwriting their own responsibility in the event of mishap. The contract is treated as a joke “life or death” document.

In January, Cui went to Gema on a mission but because local volcanoes erupted near Gema, the local airport was damaged and passengers had to travel to Bukavu first and then to Gema by helicopter. On the way back it was discovered that the plane’s oil was not to be enough for the return trip, so the ambassador had to travel to neighboring Uganda, then back to the capital of DRC, Kinshasa. Such things are part of life in Africa.

Africa Teaches Tolerance

It is well known that people in DRC are very friendly, especially towards Chinese people. However when it comes to work, tiny matters can take huge amounts of time and energy as cultural differences can mean that work there can sometimes be seen to be very inefficient.

Last year, in arranging the DRC President Joseph Kabila’s visit to China, the ambassador over extended himself in basic organizational matters: fetching, carrying and talking beyond his usual capabilities. For example, Cui made four appointments with the foreign minister within one week. In the end, the foreign minister joked with him that he had created a record as it was the first time he was contacted so frequently by a foreign ambassador since his term of office began.

But according to the ambassador, the Africans are not very good time keepers. Often arranged activities can start several hours later than planned. Once, the DRC government invited ambassadors to a conference scheduled for 9 am, but later postponed to 2 pm that day. According to the original plan, the host arranged a shaded place for ambassadors to pay their respects. However, as the time had changed to 2 pm the sun had already moved to where the place was completely exposed to the sun. To make matters worse, the host neglected to provide food, water or toilet facilities. But, as the ambassador points out, diplomats stationed in Africa are well used to these differences in culture.

Graduating from the French Department of Beijing Foreign Language Institute at the end of the 1960s, Cui has worked mainly in African countries south of the Sahara Desert except for 13 years as Chinese secretary in the foreign embassies including French Embassy in China. In diplomatic circles, working in these countries is known for its danger and hardship, something in which the ambassador concurs. Besides malaria, typhoid, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) as well as HIV/AIDs in Africa, Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever also has its roots there.

In 1998 when China and Central Africa resumed diplomatic ties after a seven-year gap, Cui was named first ambassador to the country. At that time it was difficult to buy food there and they had to bring with them daily necessities like bowls and chopsticks from China. Eggs turned into a luxury. No beds could be found at first so the staff in the embassy had to sleep on the ground. As an ambassador, Cui’s privilege was represented by a black-white TV as well as a wooden sofa. These conditions lasted for six months.

Because many Chinese diplomats get malaria working in Africa, most of them get liver disease. In 2001, while Cui prepared to leave Central Africa, his substitute Zhang Wenbin died of liver disease 20 days before his African assignment. This time, on the way back home for vacation, Cui heard that a 38-year-old technician with the Chinese Water Company in DRC died of malaria. The day following his return to Beijing, Cui heard the terrible news that the Chinese ambassador to Guinea Bissau had been kidnapped.

Deeply affected, Cui said: “This sort of things happens all the time in African countries. Being a diplomat does not just mean banquets and parties.”

CV for Cui Yongqian

Born in Gaolin, Shaanxi.

University graduate.

1968-1970

Trained in People’s Liberation Army.

1970-1983

Chinese secretary of Beijing Diplomats Service Bureau

1983-1986

Third Secretary then Second Secretary of Chinese embassy in Burkina Faso

1987-1988

Chinese secretary of Beijing Foreigners Service Bureau.

1988-1993

First Secretary of the Department of African Affairs and division head under the Ministry of Foreign Affair.

1993-1996

Consul General of Chinese Embassy to Guinea

1997-1998

Consul General of the General Office of Foreign Ministry

1998-2001

Ambassador to the Central African Republic

2001-

Ambassador to DRC

(China.org.cn translated by Zheng Guihong, April 23, 2003)