China unfriends an old friend Maria Siow

OCT 30 One of the most strikingly controversial comments to come out of Chinese debates surrounding the death of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi was one made by a Chinese Foreign Ministry official.

In an interview with French journalist Jean-Louis Gouraud two days prior to Gaddafis death, the director-general of African affairs Lu Shaye said that Gaddafi is not a friend of China. He added that on the contrary, he was the guest of many Western leaders.

Though this remark was widely ridiculed by Chinese netizens, scholars and official commentators rushed to Lus defence.

One netizen wondered why the Foreign Ministry had not made it clear that Gaddafi was not a friend of China one year, or even a month, ago. Yuan Feng asked: Why was China the last country among permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to recognise Libyas transitional government? Yuan also asked why it was that old friends of China usually end up as passing rats on the streets where venom and vengeance is sought for their final extermination.

In similar vein, Liu Yiqing noted that there are three types of endangered creatures the panda, the golden tailed monkey, and old friends of China.

Many old friends of China are dead or have met an untimely demise. These include former Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos who died in 1989, North Korean leader Kim Il Sung who died in 1994, former Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaucescu who was executed in 1989 and, more recently, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein who was hanged in 2006, and Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak who was unceremoniously ousted earlier this year.

Political cartoons that have gone viral in Chinese cyberspace include one depicting a dying Gaddafi crying out to be treated at Beijings 301 Military Hospital, an elite hospital known for treating top Chinese leaders.

The moniker old friend of China is usually used to describe foreign leaders and dignitaries who are friendly towards China or have been well acquainted with Chinese lead! ers for a relatively long period of time.

In Gaddafis case, former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai congratulated the Libyan leader when he was swept to power in a military coup in 1969. Partly in reciprocation, Libya supported Chinas bid for the United Nations seat in 1971, and offered full recognition when China eventually wrestled the seat from Taiwan.

But scholars argued that director-general Lus comment was defensible, as Gaddafi had often been unfriendly towards China.

Evidence cited included Gaddafi calling on Arab nations not to attend the 2006 China-Africa Summit held in Beijing; the Libyan leader decrying Beijings presence in Africa as amounting to neo-colonialism; and how the former Colonel had schmoozed with former Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian. Gaddafi was the only Arab leader who had hosted an official visit for Chen during the Taiwanese leaders term in office.

China Contemporary International Relations Institutes Li Shaoguang argued that Gaddafi had offered Libyas oil contracts only to Western countries.

It is possible that Chinas denunciation of Gaddafi and attempts to unfriend him are attempts to placate the new Libyan leadership - especially given earlier reports that Beijing had sold arms to and financially backed Gaddafi, and that it had prevented efforts by the international community to freeze the former Libyan leaders assets. China also hopes that Libya will continue to protect the interests and rights of Chinese investors.

Chinese academic Jia Qingguo once described old friends of China as a top honour given by China to recognise foreigners who helped with the revolution, or later, with the countrys development. Global Times writer Li Qian went further in depicting them as those who must give their heart to the country and understand Chinas soul. Li added: To be called a Chinese peoples lao pengyou (old friend) is something that is not easily earned, nor is it offered willy-nilly.

Research reveals that the first reference made to an old friend of Chin! a was in 1956. Since then, only 601 foreigners have been referred to as such. Usually no medals are given or ceremonies held, only a reference made by the official newspaper, the Peoples Daily.

Apart from leaders and statesmen including former British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and former Foreign Secretary Geoffrey Howe, those from other professions have also earned the title. These include Canadian surgeon Norman Bethune who worked as a battlefield surgeon during Chinas war against Japan, and American journalist Edgar Snow who had interviewed Mao Zedong and is known for his books and articles on the Chinese communist revolution.

Other old friends of China who remain on the pedestal of power include North Koreans Kim Jong Il, Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe and Cubas Fidel Castro.

But clearly, the coterie referred to as old friends of China is shrinking and it is unlikely that more will be added in the near future.

And probably about time too, given how archaic it sounds in todays Internet-savvy China, not to mention the cynicism it provokes among many younger Chinese. Within modern-day diplomacy, the term is also outdated, and even potentially a source of embarrassment, given the saying in international relations that there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. Today

* The writer is East Asia bureau chief at Channel NewsAsia.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication, and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.