Since the COVID-19 epidemic swept the world at the end of 2019, , the economic conditions of most countries around the world have been inevitably affected, , and even the U.S. economy has experienced a recession.
But recently, as the United Nations announced the world GDP data for 2021, a number of economic media in Western countries were shocked to discover that there is a small African country called Djibouti "independent of the world". Not only has the economy not declined, it has even achieved growth against the trend:
The country’s GDP has soared from US$1.966 billion in 2018 to US$3.6 billion in 2021, achieving three consecutive jumps and becoming one of the very few countries with positive economic growth during the epidemic. one.
If you ask why Djibouti has been able to achieve the above-mentioned economic "miracle", then it must be inseparable from China's aid and support.
However, it is worth mentioning that since Djibouti’s successful independence, several Western countries have provided support and assistance to Djibouti for more than ten years, but in the end they were unable to help Djibouti achieve “poverty alleviation”.
However, it only took China three years to help Djibouti achieve the goal of "eliminating poverty and becoming rich". allowed Djibouti to achieve the economic miracle of three consecutive GDP jumps, and Djibouti was also grateful and gave China a "big gift"!
So, how did China do it? What kind of "gift" has Djibouti given?
"Sentinel on the Oil Channel"
Djibouti, the full name of the Republic of Djibouti, is located in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Aden, commonly known as the Horn of Africa. It is adjacent to Somalia, which is rich in pirates, and has a land area of 23,200 square meters. kilometers, with a population of about 1 million, which is equivalent to my country's third-tier cities. It is a veritable small country.
As one of the least developed countries in the world, Djibouti has many problems, the first of which is the lack of natural resources.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization survey,
90% of the land in Djibouti is desert and volcanoes. Only 10,000 hectares of land can be used for farming, and the food produced is far from enough to feed the country's population. population.
Therefore, once there are natural disasters such as drought and insect infestation, the whole country of Djibouti will fall into famine and will need assistance from other countries to tide over the difficulties. Even if there are no natural disasters, Djibouti still relies on imports for more than 95% of its agricultural products, making it impossible to be self-sufficient.
Compared with agriculture, Djibouti's industry is not much better. The metal resources and oil and gas resource reserves necessary for industrialization are very scarce. Most of the daily needs are imported, and more than 90% of industrial products are not self-sufficient. It can be said that the land of Djibouti itself has no advantages at all!
But as the saying goes, when God closes a door for you, he will definitely open a window for you.
Although Djibouti doesn’t have much to offer, its geographical location is very important.
Djibouti is located on the west coast of the Gulf of Aden in northeastern Africa. It is located on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a traffic artery between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. It also guards the Suez Canal, an international strategic artery.
Therefore, ships that want to pass through the Suez Canal need to be replenished at the port in Djibouti. So Djibouti is also known as the "Sentinel on the Oil Channel."
Precisely because of its important geographical location, Djibouti's importance in the hearts of developed countries in Europe and the United States is self-evident, and its control has never been relaxed for a moment.
Since the mid-19th century, Djibouti has become a French colony. It guards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and escorts French ships. This situation has lasted for more than a hundred years.
After World War II, the national independence movement on the African continent surged. Djibouti also seized the opportunity and achieved independence in 1977.However, due to its close relationship with France, Djibouti still has a "special relationship" with France after independence:
France provides a large amount of assistance to Djibouti every year, Djibouti allows France to station troops there, and the two sides are mutually beneficial. , but is fine.
After entering the 21st century,
due to the outbreak of the 9.11 incident and the need for anti-terrorism, Americans also focused on the land of Djibouti.
At this time, France's attention to Djibouti declined, The United States took advantage of it and leased the Djibouti Lemonnier military base previously abandoned by France from the Djibouti government. It's just that , like France, needs to provide aid and support to Djibouti every year in exchange for the Djibouti government agreeing to station troops here.
Just like this, Under the leadership of France and the United States, Russia, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia , Spain and other countries have gone to Djibouti to establish their own small military bases, all want a share of the Gulf of Aden. soup.
Even in 2010, Japan used US$110 million in aid in exchange for a 12-hectare piece of land in Djibouti to build a military base.
Seeing that control of the oil pipeline is about to fall into the hands of Western countries again, in order to prevent being choked by Western countries in terms of energy and to protect its own interests, China decided to start assisting Djibouti as a "breaker"!
In fact, compared with those Western countries that only have interests in their eyes, China is truly sincere in becoming friends with Djibouti!
Looking back at history, compared with some pro-American and anti-China countries, Djibouti, as a friend of China, is also one of the few countries in the world that has a "strong waist".
China and Djibouti
Since Djibouti became independent in 1977, it has been pursuing a foreign policy of neutrality, non-alignment, and good-neighborliness.
has successively joined regional organizations such as the African Union, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the East African Intergovernmental Development Organization to strengthen itself. Develop independently without joining any camp.
In terms of its policy towards China, Djibouti has always attached great importance to the development of friendly relations with China. It established diplomatic relations with China in 1979 and can be said to be one of my country's most friendly partners in Africa. The two countries have deep feelings.
Therefore, as early as 2000, my country had the idea of aiding and cooperating with Djibouti. However, Djibouti's political situation was unstable at that time, and my country's national strength was not enough to support it, so these ideas could only be shelved temporarily.
Later, Djibouti's local party "Party for the Progress of the People" ushered in a new leader, and the political situation was finally stabilized.
At the same time, the more complex and severe maritime security situation also provides opportunities for cooperation between China and Djibouti.
On November 14, 2008, the Chinese fishing boat "Tianyu 8" was hijacked by Somali pirates in the waters of Kenya. 24 people, including 16 Chinese crew members, were taken hostage.
In order to ensure the safety of the Chinese crew, our navy dispatched a Chinese naval fleet consisting of the guided missile destroyer Wuhan, the guided missile destroyer Haikou and the Weishanhu comprehensive supply ship to the Gulf of Aden to conduct inspections of the Chinese fleet. Escort, rescue the crew of the hijacked "Tianyu 8".
During this period, the Djibouti government repeatedly expressed goodwill to our country. It not only opposed Western obstruction, but also publicly supported the Chinese naval fleet in sailing in the Gulf of Aden. also deliberately provided Djibouti's largest port Djibouti Port to the Chinese naval fleet. use.
In the subsequent years of 2011 and 2013, the Djibouti government successively sent the Commander of the Djibouti Navy and the Minister of Defense of Djibouti, Houfanai, to visit China to express their intention to cooperate with our country. The sincerity of their attitude moved the Chinese side.
Therefore, the Chinese government responded positively to Djibouti's overtures. In January and February 2014, it sent Wang Yi, then Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, and Chang Wanquan, Minister of Defense, to visit Djibouti successively. and Djibouti reached a friendly and cooperative relationship. .
Since then, Djibouti’s “road out of poverty” has also been vigorously launched with the help of China. So how did China achieve the miracle of helping Djibouti achieve poverty alleviation in three years?
"If you want to be rich, build roads first"
There is an old saying in China, if you want to be rich, build roads first. This is one of China's core means to help Djibouti get rid of poverty, and its best embodiment is Addia-Djibouti Railway .
Among Djibouti's neighboring countries, Ethiopia can be regarded as the best partner. Even the development difficulties faced by the two countries are the same.
Ethiopia is rich in natural resources, but has no outlet to the sea, making it difficult to export its natural resources; while Djibouti has many excellent seaports, but few natural resources, and has nothing to participate in trade.
In this way, one has no land to sell, and the other has no way to sell. If a railway can be built between these two countries, the two major problems can be solved effortlessly.
But it is a pity that the national strength of both countries is not enough to support the construction of railways, so the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway can only exist in the minds of the people of the two countries in an imaginary way.
So in response to this situation, the first thing my country did to assist Djibouti was to finalize the construction contract for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway with Djibouti. Just three years later,
the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, which had been longed for by the people of Egypt and Kyrgyzstan for a long time, was successfully opened with the help of China, the "infrastructure madman".
This has shortened the speed of cargo transportation between the two countries from days to hours, and the cost has been reduced by nearly half. Ethiopia has reaped the dividends of shipping, and the Djibouti government has also enjoyed Ethiopia's low-cost industrial products, and the people's happiness index Huge improvements.
Today, Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway has become one of the most important railways in all of Africa, especially in East Africa. It is hailed by local people as the Tazara Railway of the new era. But since they are friends, China’s help to Djibouti will not be temporary or unilateral!
Let the people of Djibouti drink water
In addition to railways, China has also helped Djibouti solve the problem of water shortage.
In the language of Djibouti, Djibouti means "boiling steamer". From this name alone, you can see how Djibouti is a country short of water.
In order to solve the water shortage problem in Djibouti, China has formulated the Ethiopia-Djibouti cross-border water supply project:
By laying water pipelines, Ethiopia's abundant water resources will be introduced into Djibouti, which will allow 75% of the Djiboutian people to drink clean and high-quality water. water, thereby greatly improving the living standards and social development of the Djibouti people.
At the opening ceremony of the project, President Guelleh , then leader of Djibouti, spoke emotionally:
"China is a world power, and Djibouti is just a small country in Africa. We can't do anything for China, but we can't do anything for China." No matter what difficulties we face at any time, China will provide arms, support and help to Djibouti! "
" The high-quality water resources that the people of Djibouti have been looking forward to for 50 years will come with China's help, and only the Chinese government can help. We realize this vision.” The sincerity in his words was evident.
This is enough to show the difference between China, which has provided selfless help to Djibouti, and those European and American developed countries that only want to gain profits from Djibouti.
In order to put Djibouti's economy on the fast track and achieve true mutual benefit and win-win results in China-Djibouti cooperation, China has spared no effort in providing assistance to Djibouti!
Economic development creates Shekou, East Africa.
As a country with scarce natural resources but a large number of excellent seaports, there is no doubt that the economic development model of a seaport city similar to Dubai is the most suitable for Djibouti.
For this reason, in 2013, China Merchants Group made a construction plan for Djibouti and invested in Djibouti Port Co., Ltd., providing Djibouti, the capital of Djibouti, with a comprehensive economy of "front port-middle area-back city" Construction plan.
The so-called front port, refers to the investment of US$580 million in the offshore waters around Djibouti to build a new modern deep-water port for Djibouti, the Dohale Multifunctional Terminal, in order to reduce the throughput pressure of the old port of Djibouti.
After the port was completed in 2017, it directly tripled the throughput capacity of the Port of Djibouti, enhanced the competitiveness of the Port of Djibouti, and created huge socio-economic value for Djibouti.
Subsequently, based on Xingang’s cluster effect, an economic free trade zone was built on Djibouti’s 48.2 square kilometers of land that integrates a commodity distribution center, a logistics distribution business center, commodity import and export processing business, and commercial supporting services. This will attract international companies to settle in, which will not only promote the economic development of the people of Djibouti, but also create employment for local residents.
It is understood that after the establishment of the free trade zone, attracted nearly a hundred Chinese and foreign companies, directly generating a GDP of up to 4 billion US dollars, which is more than the annual GDP of Djibouti, and created as many as ten jobs. More than 10,000 yuan has directly solved the employment problem of 15% of Djiboutians.
Finally, Chinese companies have built a new city in Djibouti that is closely related to the port and the free trade zone, which is the back city.
Compared with Xingang and the Free Trade Zone, the Back City project directly connects the basic necessities of Djiboutian people, including medical care, education, etc.
In order to promote the development of Djibouti, China will provide 500 sets of free high-quality housing to outstanding students in Djibouti every year to provide local talents.
also provides more than 5,000 outstanding talents from Djibouti with the opportunity to study in China. allows them to receive high-quality elite education in China and return to Djibouti to build their motherland.
Just like that, Thanks to China’s all-round poverty alleviation measures, Djibouti achieved the miracle of economic growth in just three years.
Today, Djibouti’s various buildings such as the People’s Palace, the Presidential Palace, the Martyrs’ Monument, the stadium, and the hospital are all aided by China.
A Djiboutian’s day may consist of traveling in a car from China, going to work in a port built by China, eating food from China, and watching Chinese movies and TV shows on a Chinese mobile phone.
China has been deeply imprinted in the hearts of every Djibouti people and has become the driving force for their yearning for a better life.
Seeing the impoverished Djibouti making a leap forward with the help of China, these black friends are also very loyal and plan to give us a big gift!
Djibouti’s “big gift”
On August 1, 2017, after negotiation between the Chinese and Djibouti governments, China’s support base camp in Djibouti was established.
This base was built by our country to implement escort missions in the Gulf of Aden. It is also the first overseas military support base of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. It has strong practical significance. It is also a "big gift" given by Djibouti to our country.
In fact, as early as the 1990s when maritime problems were frequent, our country had the idea of building support bases overseas.
However, the obstruction of a number of Western powers led by the United States, made it impossible for our country to realize such a plan. It was not until entered the 21st century that my country's increasingly powerful national power and majestic development of maritime trade put this plan back on the agenda.
Today, although there are still pirates in the Gulf of Aden, under the escort of our People's Liberation Army, Chinese merchant ships can safely and quickly pass through the Gulf of Aden, transporting materials for the construction and development of the motherland to various places!
A long time ago, in order to obtain this convenience, Western countries used money to buy rights; but now, facing China, a true friend, Djibouti has also generously donated this convenience to us in the form of "reciprocity".This move not only once again deepened the friendly relations between China and Kyrgyzstan, but also enabled both parties to achieve mutual benefit in cooperation!
Conclusion
With the efforts of my country and Djibouti, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Djibouti Support Base was officially completed, becoming a dazzling business card of China-Djibouti friendship and China’s “Belt and Road Construction”!
