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When Cameroonian President Paul Biya visited China in july 2011, he made a special trip to Tianjin, a city more than 100 km southeast of Beijing, to meet one of his best Chinese friends, Xu Mengshui.
“i am so glad that he still regarded me as one of his best Chinese friends even after i have been retired for so many years,” Xu told ChinAfrica. he said the meeting brought back good memories of life as the Chinese ambassador to Cameroon.
Before retiring from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2006, Xu had been engaged with Africa for nearly 30 years and spent more than 20 years working on the continent. “in the past decades, i have had opportunities to work on other continents, but i refused, because i didn’t want to abandon my all my brothers on the continent.”
even after he retired, he is still engaged in promoting Sino-African relations. he has many titles, such as Council Member of Asia-Africa Development and exchange Society of China and executive Director of Africa Research Center of CFiS (China Foundation for international Studies). “i know a lot about Africa and have many Africa-related resources. i can continue to play my role in strengthening China-Africa relations,”Xu said.
Friendly people
Xu’s association with Africa came about by chance.
When he graduated from high school in 1964, he had hoped to study civil engineering at Tsinghua university, one of China’s top universities. But he was chosen by the state to study history and French language at the university of Mohammed of V-Agdal in Morocco as a trainee diplomat. Later, he was designated to work in Africa.
“People of my generation were willing to do whatever the government asked us to do and we did not have our own preference,” said Xu.
Despite of the backward working conditions in Africa, the warm-hearted African people soon captivated Xu. he recalled an incident that took place while he was Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon from 2000-03. Once, while on his way to a small rural village, his car sank deep into the mud and could not be moved. While Xu and his colleagues wondered how to free the car, some young men came by, dressed in their new church clothes. Without hesitation, these young men took off their new clothes, put them under the car wheels to gain traction and the driver was able to move the car. “When i proposed to compensate them, they refused and only said two words ‘Chinese, friends,’” said Xu. “i was deeply moved, and decided to put my heart and soul into working hard for my African brothers.”
Go local
According to Xu, to work in Africa, one must fully integrate himself into African society. “The most effective way of doing so is to respect African cultures and do as locals do,” he added.
in 1998, Xu arrived to take up the ambassador post in Guinea. Before going to the West African country, he carefully studied the tribal cultures of Guinea. “When i learned that the totem of the tribe of then President of Guinea Lansana Conté is a rooster, i took him three roosters when i went to see him for the first time in his hometown,” recalled Xu.
Conté was so excited that he introduced Xu to his mother and all his brothers. he told Xu that he was the first Chinese ambassador to celebrate the festival of his tribe in local style and he regarded Xu as one of his villagers.
After that, Xu celebrated Guinean festivals strictly according to local customs every year.
“every country, big or small, has its own culture and every culture deserves our respect,” commented Xu. “if you respect their cultures and customs, they will also respect you.”
During the years in Africa, Xu continued to adopt this working style. While serving as an ambassador to Cameroon, he bought more than 11,000 footballs and presented them to many government departments and individuals.
“Football is very popular in Cameroon and the country is known as the indomitable Lions in terms of football. So, presenting them with footballs means to respect their culture,” said Xu. Meanwhile, he usually sought assistance from Chinese organizations, like sewing machines from All-China Women’s Federation and wheelchairs from China Disabled Persons’ Federation.“These things are actually needed by many African people,” Xu said.
“To respect cultures in different African countries, we must take different measures according to the realities of different countries,” said Xu.
his work was also highly appreciated by the countries in which he worked. When he left Guinea in 2000, he was conferred a medal by the president; in Cameroon, he was conferred medals twice, the only diplomat to have been given this honor in Cameroon.
“if you open your heart and soul to people, they will do the same to you,” he added.
“i am so glad that he still regarded me as one of his best Chinese friends even after i have been retired for so many years,” Xu told ChinAfrica. he said the meeting brought back good memories of life as the Chinese ambassador to Cameroon.
Before retiring from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2006, Xu had been engaged with Africa for nearly 30 years and spent more than 20 years working on the continent. “in the past decades, i have had opportunities to work on other continents, but i refused, because i didn’t want to abandon my all my brothers on the continent.”
even after he retired, he is still engaged in promoting Sino-African relations. he has many titles, such as Council Member of Asia-Africa Development and exchange Society of China and executive Director of Africa Research Center of CFiS (China Foundation for international Studies). “i know a lot about Africa and have many Africa-related resources. i can continue to play my role in strengthening China-Africa relations,”Xu said.
Friendly people
Xu’s association with Africa came about by chance.
When he graduated from high school in 1964, he had hoped to study civil engineering at Tsinghua university, one of China’s top universities. But he was chosen by the state to study history and French language at the university of Mohammed of V-Agdal in Morocco as a trainee diplomat. Later, he was designated to work in Africa.
“People of my generation were willing to do whatever the government asked us to do and we did not have our own preference,” said Xu.
Despite of the backward working conditions in Africa, the warm-hearted African people soon captivated Xu. he recalled an incident that took place while he was Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon from 2000-03. Once, while on his way to a small rural village, his car sank deep into the mud and could not be moved. While Xu and his colleagues wondered how to free the car, some young men came by, dressed in their new church clothes. Without hesitation, these young men took off their new clothes, put them under the car wheels to gain traction and the driver was able to move the car. “When i proposed to compensate them, they refused and only said two words ‘Chinese, friends,’” said Xu. “i was deeply moved, and decided to put my heart and soul into working hard for my African brothers.”
Go local
According to Xu, to work in Africa, one must fully integrate himself into African society. “The most effective way of doing so is to respect African cultures and do as locals do,” he added.
in 1998, Xu arrived to take up the ambassador post in Guinea. Before going to the West African country, he carefully studied the tribal cultures of Guinea. “When i learned that the totem of the tribe of then President of Guinea Lansana Conté is a rooster, i took him three roosters when i went to see him for the first time in his hometown,” recalled Xu.
Conté was so excited that he introduced Xu to his mother and all his brothers. he told Xu that he was the first Chinese ambassador to celebrate the festival of his tribe in local style and he regarded Xu as one of his villagers.
After that, Xu celebrated Guinean festivals strictly according to local customs every year.
“every country, big or small, has its own culture and every culture deserves our respect,” commented Xu. “if you respect their cultures and customs, they will also respect you.”
During the years in Africa, Xu continued to adopt this working style. While serving as an ambassador to Cameroon, he bought more than 11,000 footballs and presented them to many government departments and individuals.
“Football is very popular in Cameroon and the country is known as the indomitable Lions in terms of football. So, presenting them with footballs means to respect their culture,” said Xu. Meanwhile, he usually sought assistance from Chinese organizations, like sewing machines from All-China Women’s Federation and wheelchairs from China Disabled Persons’ Federation.“These things are actually needed by many African people,” Xu said.
“To respect cultures in different African countries, we must take different measures according to the realities of different countries,” said Xu.
his work was also highly appreciated by the countries in which he worked. When he left Guinea in 2000, he was conferred a medal by the president; in Cameroon, he was conferred medals twice, the only diplomat to have been given this honor in Cameroon.
“if you open your heart and soul to people, they will do the same to you,” he added.