Lu Shaye, Director General of the Department of African Affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, answers The Africa Report  about the Libyan intervention, work conditions for Chinese workers in Africa and food security. 

During the Libyan crisis, the Chinese policy of non-interference stopped China from taking a clear position. At a UN vote in March 2011 China neither approved nor used its veto. What held you back? 

China takes a position according to our assessment of the situation. We always believe that the future of Libya should be decided by the Libyan people themselves. 

The reason why the Chinese did not agree is that China worried that the resolution might be abused and the wording of the resolution did contain such a possibility. 

The reason why the Chinese did not object is that the draft resolution was widely supported by the League of Arab States and the Arab countries.

But no matter what position China took, China is opposed to external interference in a country's internal affairs, especially military intervention in the internal affairs of a country. 

Salaries and working conditions on Chinese worksites in Africa have been widely criticised, as well as unfair competitive practices. What is the Chinese position?

China is competitive because it offers projects at low cost. This is good for local governments. Now the competition with local businesses created by the Chinese companies has also attracted the attention of the Chinese government.

The local companies also need to increase their competitive power. It is true that the Chinese workers work in harsh working conditions.

They live a hard life, eat simple food and live in simple accommodation so that they can send home the money they earned to raise their families and improve their living conditions.

They  work in three shifts a day and work all day and all night to speed up project schedules. That is why the Chinese companies are competitive.

They spend less on the workers. Despite this, Chinese companies respect labour rights and minimum salary rates in the country where they are working. It may be that some small companies flout labour regulation, but this is not our wish politically. 

Agriculture is becoming a major axis of the China-Africa relationship – how do you allay concerns over food security?

The West accuses us of grabbing land – this is false. Their companies have taken 30m ha in Africa, roughly a terrain half the size of France. They do not use it for food, but for biofuels. 

This article was first published in the November edition of The Africa Report, on sale at newsstands, via our print subscription or our digital edition.

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