China Withholds Sale of Flour to Mauritius Over Opposition Comments

The Chinese authorities have made it known to the Mauritian authorities that they will not sell flour to Mauritius in spite of numerous diplomatic attempts by the Mauritian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to convince China to change its decision.

A high official of the ministry of Foreign Affairs in Port Louis the capital, who just returned from the Chinese capital Beijing explained on Wednesday that in his meeting with Chinese officials, he was made to understand that the Chinese government has been irritated by comments made in the Mauritius parliament and in press conferences by the members of the main opposition party the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM), including its leader, Paul Bérenger.

The remarks are related to the so-called apprehensions of the MMM concerning the additives and preservatives used in the production of Chinese flour. The ministry official explained that the Chinese authorities were offended by the intensive campaign of certain lobbyists led by the MMM to denigrate a Chinese product.

The Chinese authorities were still less amused especially when Beijing has just extended a loan of some US$15 million without interest for the construction of the new building of the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation. According to the ministry official, Chinese diplomats told him that some people have shown disrespect towards the Chinese people in their relentless disparaging campaign.

Chinese diplomats added that their country is helping Mauritius in its bid to solve the unemployment problem. Mauritius, they indicated, has been chosen among many other countries as a privileged partner for the setting up of the Tianli project at a cost US$450 million.

The Tianli economic zone will be entirely financed by the Chinese state and will give direct employment to about 34, 000 local employees and as such, Beijing fails to understand why some people are trying to derail the privileged relations that exist between the two countries, Chinese officials observed.

Asked to comment on the issue, the MMM leader Paul Bérenger refused to refute or endorse the Chinese allegations.

Source African Press Agency

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