President George Weah’s infrastructure projects and development assistance reached with China have stalled following Liberia’s decision to act against China’s interest at the United Nations.
According to reports, Foreign Minister Dee Maxwell Kemayah has been directing the country’s permanent mission at the Union’s to vote against China which comes with huge cost to Liberia.
The China side has taken serious exception to the situation and considers it deliberate. China has since been retaliating by slowing down projects in Liberia including the following: overfly bridge to ease traffic from Boulevard junction to the Ministerial complex, the Gardnesville to Sinkor road- via Kesselleh Boulevard, the renovation and equipment of the Liberia broadcasting System and many others.
President Xi Jinping personally replied and give approval to President Weah’s request for China assistance to construct the road from Kesselleh Boulevard to Sinkor. Now all Chinese assistance are effectively on hold because of one man- Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah.
On October 6, 2020 39 UN member state presented a statement accusing China of Human Right violation- enforce political re-education camps in Xinjiang for Uyghur minority.
Since October 6, 2020, when Mr. Kemayah took over at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Liberia was not amongst countries to release that unbalance public statement against China but abstained.
The issue of “Human Right” abuses in China is an old age subject in the United Nations- a very sensitive matter to China yet foreign policy experts say it is diplomatically expedient for small power nations to step aside from the topic.
With all the allegations from the UN Human Rights Office, Xinjiang and Tibet have experienced great economic and infrastructural development over the years.
However, it seems Foreign Minister Dee Maxwell Kemayah does not understand the deep international politics and the sensitive nature of the subject; and therefore he immediately jumped the side of the big nations with complete and absolute disregard to the friendly support of China to Liberia over the decade and the Au common position.
t is no surprise that Liberia has been the lone African country with diplomatic relations with China to have consistently cosigned statement and resolution against China on the subject of “Human Rights’ abuse in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.
some China’s flagship infrastructure contribution to Liberia before the Kemayah arrival at the Foreign ministry include! the new RIA Terminal ( Predent Weah called it “ talking airport”); The Annex of the Legislature; the Ministerial Complex and the Jackson F. Doe Hospital and roads.
In spite of this cordial relation with China, Minister Kemayah has for the third time instructed our Missions in New York and Geneva to co-sponsor / cosign resolutions condemning China on human right issues. It must be started that Liberia was the only African country with diplomatic relations with China to have co-sponsor. This did not only put us in bad position with China but also contravenes the “common African position” of the African Union.
Considering Liberia-China relations is win-win, Liberia has consistently supported China in the international arena and commits itself to the “One China Policy”- however Minister Kemayah seems to be taking this good relation on a different trajectory for his person gains.
The public can recall the expulsion of his from New York as diplomat, Kemayah has a serious criminal case in the US and he believes by riding with the US in this line with save him. He has hours of meeting with US Ambassador every Monday morning at his office.
There have been very high level exchanges between the two countries notably the visit to Liberia of former Chinese President Hu Jin Tao in 2006 and the reciprocal visit of former President Sirleaf to China the in 2007 and 2015. President George Manneh Weah has also visit China in 2018.
In international relations these are signs of strong bond and cooperation. Kemayah is working hard to shift the trajectory.
Liberia had a clear option to abstain, which will not show our support of the “rights violation” and remain good standing with a friendly partner.
Meanwhile, China has expressed disappointment with Liberia for joining 42 other countries at the United Nations to sign a French-led statement.
The 43 countries that were concerned and affixed their signature to the statement about the situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region included Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and France.
The report indicated that the existence of a large network of “political re-education” camps where over a million people have been arbitrarily detained and that there was an increasing number of reports of widespread and systematic human rights violations, including reports documenting torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children.
There are severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and the freedoms of movement, association and expression as well as on Uyghur culture. Widespread surveillance disproportionately continues to target Uyghurs and members of other minorities.
