Chinese people in Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
The number of Chinese residents in Ethiopia has risen considerably in the past decade numbering over 40,000.
in which 74 workers including 9 from China were killed. The rebels in the attack claimed that the target was the Ethiopian military and the Chinese were killed in explosions during the fighting. Howard French
of The New York Times
called the incident part of the learning curve for Chinese in understanding the risks of interaction in Africa but not a setback that would deter the Chinese from realizing that Africa would be "the stage where China's image as a global actor of the first rank will be forged."
Also in 2007, the first 300 volunteers selected from among 10,000 applicants to a new Chinese government programme arrived in Ethiopia, Seychelles, and Zimbabwe. They would perform a variety of work including teaching Chinese, introducing hospital staff to traditional Chinese medicine
, and aiding in poultry farming
.
Like in many African countries, the Chinese are seen as keeping to themselves. In 2007, a New York Times report on Chinese in Ethiopia noted the "clannish" social interaction of Chinese by citing a communal compound of 200 Chinese workers for a Chinese construction company who ate Chinese food, got health care from a Chinese doctor, and did not interact with outsiders.
Integration and community
A landmark incident in Chinese perceptions of Ethiopia was the 2007 Abole oil field raidAbole oil field raid
The Abole oil field raid occurred in the early morning of April 24, 2007 when gunmen of the Ogaden National Liberation Front attacked a Chinese oil company's premises in the town of Abole, northwest of Degehabur, in the Somali Region of Ethiopia...
in which 74 workers including 9 from China were killed. The rebels in the attack claimed that the target was the Ethiopian military and the Chinese were killed in explosions during the fighting. Howard French
Howard French
Howard Waring French is an associate professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism as well as a journalist, author and photographer. He was most recently a senior foreign correspondent with The New York Times.-Biography:...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called the incident part of the learning curve for Chinese in understanding the risks of interaction in Africa but not a setback that would deter the Chinese from realizing that Africa would be "the stage where China's image as a global actor of the first rank will be forged."
Also in 2007, the first 300 volunteers selected from among 10,000 applicants to a new Chinese government programme arrived in Ethiopia, Seychelles, and Zimbabwe. They would perform a variety of work including teaching Chinese, introducing hospital staff to traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
, and aiding in poultry farming
Poultry farming
Poultry farming is the raising of domesticated birds such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese, for the purpose of farming meat or eggs for food. According to the Worldwatch Institute, 74 percent of the world's poultry meat, and 68 percent of eggs are produced in ways that are described as...
.
Like in many African countries, the Chinese are seen as keeping to themselves. In 2007, a New York Times report on Chinese in Ethiopia noted the "clannish" social interaction of Chinese by citing a communal compound of 200 Chinese workers for a Chinese construction company who ate Chinese food, got health care from a Chinese doctor, and did not interact with outsiders.