“I think mentality of Chinese and Moldovan peoples is generally the same”, Chinese chargé d'affaires

{[Info-Prim Neo interview with Missis Zhen Shuqin, chargé d'affaires of the Republic of China in Moldova]} [ - On January 30, 2012 it is 20 years of the establishment of bilateral relations between the Republic of Moldova and the People’s Republic of China. What was the trend and what is the general state of these relations at present?] - I’m very glad to give this interview to Info-Prim Neo. I can say that I’m an eyewitness to the development of the Moldovan-Chinese friendship relations. I’m among the first Chinese diplomats who came to Moldova to open the Embassy of China. The diplomatic relations between China and Moldova were established on January 30, 1992. The Embassy of the People’s Republic of Chinas started work in Chisinau in June the same year. Mister Li Fenglin was the first Ambassador of China to Moldova. He was simultaneously China’s Ambassador to Bucharest. There were three Chinese diplomats who worked at the Embassy of China in Moldova at that time – consultant Mister Jiang, I and my husband. I remember that we then borrowed a car from our embassy in Bucharest. We took some supplies, came to Chisinau and stopped at Codru Hotel. The next day, we informed the Foreign Ministry of Moldova and the other embassies that the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China started work. Time passes quickly. At the end of this month, it will be 20 years since China and Moldova established diplomatic relations. The Government of China pays special attention to the development of the relations with Moldova. China considers Moldova an important cooperation partner in Eastern and Central Europe and in the CIS region. During the 20 years, the bilateral relations have developed in a healthy and stable way. The political confidence between the two countries is constantly strengthened. Our cooperation on the international arena and in regional matters is satisfying. The economic and commercial cooperation develops successfully. The mutual contacts and visits in the humanistic sphere extended. The abovementioned facts meet the interests of the two countries and peoples. I’m convinced that the two countries will maintain this friendly cooperation trend, will strengthen cooperation in a realistic spirit and will promote the bilateral relations to a new level. [ - China is one of the several superpowers of the modern world, but its presence in Chisinau is rather modest. I mean especially the embassy working here, its personnel, the size of its head office, etc. Why so? The embassies in the U.S. and Russia occupy whole quarters. In the UK and France they are also situated on large areas? Is Moldova situated on a not very strategic and important direction for China? I don’t think we can speak about economy or lack of resources in a country that seems to outstrip all the mentioned countries by the economic growth rate.] - I often heard from Moldovan journalists that China is a ‘superpower’. I and the Chinese consider that China is the largest developing country. After the reform and external opening of 1978, China’s GDP rose by over 9% during 33 consecutive years. In 2010, China became the second largest economic community in the world. The comprehensive national power and the living standards of the population increased, but China remains a developing country. Compared with the developed country, there is yet a great discrepancy. The GDP per capita in China in 2010 was under $4 000. The country was ranked 94th in the world by this indicator. The GDP per capita is much lower than in the European countries. It represents about 1/10 of the GDP of the U.S. and the UK. China’s population is 1.3 billion. 120 million Chinese people live below the poverty line set by the UN. China still faces many challenges and problems. China devotes increased attention to the development of the friendship cooperation relations with Moldova. Immediately after the founding of the Republic of Moldova, China recognized its independence and the two countries established diplomatic relations. Our embassy does not include many diplomats, but all of them made considerable effort to develop the Chinese-Moldovan relations in politics, economy, commerce, culture, education and other areas. Our embassy has good cooperation relations with the Government, Parliament, different parties and persons from different circles of Moldova. Ambassador Fang Li, who recently left Moldova, was appreciated by the Moldovan administration and people from different circles. In the bilateral relations, China and Moldova respect each other, treat each other from equal positions, and support each other without interfering in the internal affairs. Mutual advantages persist in the cooperation relations. I think these facts are the most important and the most valuable in the bilateral relations. [ - Please name two important things achieved by Moldova and at least one really important thing achieved by China in these 20 years of bilateral diplomatic relations.] - I believe the relations between countries are like the relations between people. If you want to have good friends, you must help your friends when they are in difficulty. In China they say that “a drop of support must be rewarded with a lot of gratitude, as a spring”. In Moldova they say that “a friend in need is a friend indeed”. China and Moldova are true friends. They get on well and support each other in such issues as the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Moldova provided firm and permanent support in the problems related to Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang, in the human rights problem. China respects the development path chosen by Moldova and supports it in its efforts to resolve the Transnistrian dispute. China and Moldova cooperated well within international organizations and always support each other. In 2008, when China was struck by a powerful quake and Moldova was struck by floods, the two countries helped each other. In 2010, the Government of Moldova provided two times humanitarian assistance to the Chinese people after the floods and earthquake. China’s Red Cross and the Chinese Government also offered humanitarian support and significant non-reimbursable assistance to the Government of Moldova for reconstructing the houses damaged by floods. This friendship and sincerity between the two governments and peoples are our common treasures and we must praise this friendship strengthened during many years. [ - In the same connection, can you mention several important things that are to be done to foster the Moldovan-Chinese relations?] - On January 30, this year it will be 20 years of the establishment of the Chinese-Moldovan diplomatic relations. The two countries will organize activities to celebrate the event. At the end of February – the start of March, a Chinese folk music group composed of 30 persons will come to Moldova to take part in the international music festival “Martsishor”. The group will give two concerts – one in Chisinau and one in Balti. The two sides will also organize mutual visits by journalists and young people of the two countries. The Chinese authorities will issue a commemorative envelope on this occasion. The entrepreneurs of the two countries will come into contact more often and the bilateral economic and commercial cooperation will be strengthened. The Moldovan wine exports to China will increase significantly. I’m sure that our cooperation this year will be particularly fruitful. We will make effort for the people of the two countries to get along well and to support each other in implementing mutually advantageous social and economic projects. [ - How does the document signed by the governments of the two counties in Chisinau last yearend – the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement - characterize the bilateral relations?] - At the end of last year, the two countries signed the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement under which the Government of China will provide about US$9.5 million in financial assistance to Moldova. This is the largest non-reimbursable assistance offered by China since the establishment of the diplomatic relations. This fact shows that the Chinese people have friendly feelings towards the Moldovan people. China continues to help, within possibilities, the developing countries that encounter difficulties in the economic development and that develop concomitantly with it. China wants the countries that have goods relations with it to develop together with it and thus offers the necessary support. Within international organizations, China and Moldova support each other. On the occasion of the anniversary of 20 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, given the economic and social situation in Moldova, the financial needs and the development of the bilateral relations, the Government of China decided to provide solid support to Moldova. [ - This non-reimbursable assistance looks more like a ‘blank’ bank bill signed by the Government of China for Moldova or like a promise that will be fulfilled over a long period of time. ] - Starting with the 1950s, China provided several thousand billion RMB in non-reimbursable assistance to almost all the developing countries. The two governments first sign an agreement on non-reimbursable assistance and agree the size of aid. Then the two parties select assistance projects. The assistance provided over the 20 years was offered this way several tens of times and there were achieved results. There are now a series of projects that need assistance. The Chinese authorities will closely cooperate with the Government of Moldova so as to choose the projects as soon as possible as this money provided by China will be used for the benefit of the Moldovan people. [ - What amount of non-reimbursable assistance and how many loans did China offer to Moldova in these 20 years and how the money was used by the Moldovan authorities? What real effects the allocated money had on Moldovan society?] - After Moldova proclaimed its independence, the Government of China offered several dozen million dollars to Moldova in non-reimbursable assistance. The money was used to found the Chinese Traditional Medicine Center and the Prosthesis Center and for other purposes. China also provided grain, respiratory apparatuses, computers to Moldova and aid to flood victims. The two countries agreed that in 2012 they will implement a number of projects, including the installation of a video traffic supervision system. China provided financial assistance for rebuilding the homes of flood victims and for building water supply systems. The mentioned projects and goods played an important role in the economic and social development and in improving the people’s lives. As to the agreement signed by the Chinese company Sinohydro and the Moldovan authorities for building two road sections 48 km long at a cost of US$62.4 million, the two governments and banks of the two countries are now discussing how to use the concessional loan that will be granted by the Chinese party. When the two parties reach an agreement, this project will start to be implemented. If this first cooperation project involving a concessional loan is successful, it will be a present on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations and will stimulate the extension of cooperation in the economic and investment areas and will open thus a new cooperation page with mutual advantages in a number of areas. [ - What are the main areas in which China would like to cooperate in Moldova, I mean from economic viewpoint, and in what Chinese areas is Moldova interested?] - Given that Moldova is in the process of European integration, it can extend the cooperation with China by improving the communication infrastructure, optimizing the structure of the economy, strengthening the own advantages, increasing its economic competitiveness. After several tens of years of rapid development, China has the technical and administrative ability and experience in implementing different projects. As the U.S. and Europe are in a financial crisis, China has the necessary financial resources to help Moldova develop, improve its infrastructure and implement other economic projects. Agriculture has an important weight in Moldova’s economy, as in China’s. The two countries can cooperate in this area. China has a large wine market and has a great extension potential. Moldova started to focus on China’s market and the two countries cooperated well in this field and achieved results. In 2010, China’s imports of Moldovan wine rose seven times compared with the previous year. In the first half of 2011, China’s imports increased by up to 134%. I’m sure that the trade in wine will develop further as the two countries will make concerted effort for this to happen. [ - Do the Chinese investors face considerable bureaucracy and corruption in Moldova and what category of countries would they include Moldova in from this viewpoint – bureaucratic and corrupt at a medium, low or high level? Can Moldovan bureaucracy and corruption be compared with the Chinese ones? Do you have such phenomena in your country?] - All the investors, no matter if they are foreign or Chinese, hope that the political situation in Moldova will become stable and society will concentrate on the economic development. The Chinese investors hope to enjoy concessions when applying for visas and work permits, when entering or leaving the country, and that the formalities will be performed in a shorter period of time and at lower prices and the procedure will be simplified. If the Moldovan authorities offer the foreign investors favorable conditions in the economic, financial and fiscal areas, they will attract more foreigners to invest and do business in Moldova. As the conditions in Moldova and China are different, it is hard to make a comparison as regards corruption. I think that China and Moldova can cooperate in combating corruption. In the fight against corruption, the Government of China promotes the following measures: education, supervision systems, reforms, correction, punishment. The Communist Party ensures supervision inside and outside the party. It is a combination of supervision by the special institutions and the masses. The party pays attention to the supervision role of the press so that the corrupt elements are punished by the party’s discipline and the country’s laws. [ - You have been in Moldova for a long period. Do the Chinese people have something in common with the Moldovan people, or the differences are too great and leave no room for similarities?] - I think the mentality of the two peoples is generally the same. For example, the good moral standards include appreciation of the feelings of the close people and friends, love for the country and the people, wish to serve the country and the people. Everyone hopes that the people and the family will leave better. As the conditions in each country are different, there may be some differences. China’s population is large and there is stiff competition. Most of the people make considerable effort to have a better life. The weather in the Chinese province Yun Nan is always like in spring. The farmers there cultivate flowers. There is the largest flower market in China. The flowers grown there are sold abroad as well, especially in Asia. Many farmers growing flowers there can sell them abroad over the Internet. In China’s settlement Yi Wu, the people analyzed the own conditions and decided to set up bazaars where to sell goods from all over the country. Thus, businessmen from China and abroad go there to buy goods. The hotels and restaurants there are developed and the region turned from a poor into a developed one. The Government of China and most of the people make effort to improve the living conditions and alleviate poverty. The people in many regions of China fulfilled their dreams and the more developed regions started to help the people in the less developed regions. [ - Why did the last Chinese ambassador stay in Moldova for only one year and five months? Can the replacement of officials at the Embassy of China in Chisinau, in a way untraditional, anticipate a certain change of policy in relation to Moldova?] - The work of Ambassador Fang Li was appreciated by the Moldovan administration, different parties and people from different circles of Moldova. The Chinese-Moldovan relations will not be affected by the replacement of the ambassador. The Chinese policy towards Moldova did not change. I’m convinced that the cooperation between the two countries this year will be very good and the bilateral relations will be further strengthened. [Valeriu Vasilica, Info-Prim Neo]