The Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon WU Zexian held on the 26th of September 2011 a reception ceremony at the Phenicia hotel on the occasion of the Chinese National Day on one hand and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomacy relationships between Lebanon and China on the second. The Monthly conducted an interview with WU Zexian and inquired about his resume and the relationships between the two countries.

To begin with, can you brief us on your personal life, education and career?

I was born in 1952 in a town near Shanghai. I spent my youth there and I studied languages. I obtained a diploma in French language and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1978. My first mission abroad was at the Chinese embassy in France where I spent 15 intermittent years before I left for good in 2006. I worked at the Department of European Affairs during my presence in the ministry and my first post as an Ambassador was in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where I spent four years. Dispatching me to Kinshasa was a pleasure for it offered me the opportunity to meet a new world with unique measures and standards. Right after that, I moved to Beirut and I have been here since 2011. I am married and I have one 24 year old daughter who lives in china.

What about your hobbies?

I like travel and tourism and I have visited various Lebanese landmarks during my relatively short stay in the country. I’ve been to Tyre, Baalbeck (4 times) and Jbeil and I like natural and historical sites equally. I also have a penchant to the rich Lebanese cuisine and I like sports.

Let’s now move to the diplomatic relationships between Lebanon and China. How did these relationships evolve during a 40 year span?

These relationships were not out of nowhere. On the contrary they rest on solid grounds dating back to ancient decades. These relationships were woven first thanks to several men like Dr. Georges Hatem who is considered a highly prolific figure in China for he was among the very few foreigners who partook in the revolution and put their lives at risk at the camps. He used to rush to help people out and soothe their pain and he was present at all places to heal their wounds with very limited facilities. Dr. Hatem was obsessed with social equality and when the Communist Party of China came to power in 1949, he married a Chinese woman and became a Chinese national. I still have an old photograph of Dr. Hatem and his son with president Maw and his daughter. Dr. Hatem worked at the Health Ministry. He waged a fight against Leprosy which prevailed in China back then and he succeeded at eliminating the disease. This man is an example of the friendship and cooperation binding our countries. There were also other men interested in China long before the diplomatic ties. Of these, I mention the former minister Adnan Qassar who flew to China in the fifties to investigate the possibility of a commercial exchange between the two countries. China was isolated at the time and that’s why we bestowed honor upon Mr. Qassar in 2007 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of cooperation. Former minister Michel Eddeh is another friend of China. He knows the names of the Chinese figures by heart and he’s in light of the matters of our country since time immemorial. Mr. Hekmat Qassir is also worthy of being mentioned for he’s a businessman and an old friend who first came to China in 1964 upon the invitation of Lucien Burque, the first French ambassador to China on the occasion of the establishment of diplomacy between France and China. Mr. Qassir is still a friend and he is living in China today. These relationships evolved and expanded to different levels and we exchanged a series of visits wherein we received high-ranking officials and several delegations from the army, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Education Ministry.

Why weren’t the diplomatic relationships between Lebanon and China forged long before the 1971?

We may attribute the reasons to the cold war and the conflict between the east and the west. China was isolated then and wasn’t recognized except by a few countries including first and foremost the Eastern Bloc. Meantime, changes started to take shape in France which played a pivotal role in breaking China’s isolation thanks to the efforts exerted by French President Charles de Gaulle.

Some western countries like Switzerland, Norway and Finland preceded France in recognizing China. Normally the banning had to include the countries under Western power and that is perhaps the reason why Lebanon did not recognize China as a state which resulted in delaying the diplomatic relationships until 1971. China also witnessed a series of events in 1966 including the Cultural Revolution which lasted over 10 years and yielded many reactions worldwide. In the early 1970’s there has been a change on the international stage and China fell out with the Soviet Union which altered its standing and the opinions held by many. After all, China is not just another country revolving in the orbit of the Soviet Union. Back then, the United States also displayed a policy shift and wanted to approach China and thus the diplomatic relationships between Lebanon and China came to light.

In any case “better late than never”. I reiterate that these relationships existed long before diplomacy and were maintained throughout the years and shall always flourish.

There are trade ties between Lebanon and China but there’s a deficit in the commercial balance in favor of your country. How can China help in diminishing this deficit and bridging the trade gap?

I couldn’t agree more. There is a huge imbalance indeed and it is not to the advantage of Lebanon but I must say that economic ties don’t rely on trade exchange solely. We should not forget the exchanged investments and the joint economic projects. I believe that tourism may also be an auxiliary factor in bridging the trade gap. In 2009, Chinese tourists were estimated by around 57.4 millions, 90% of which travel for leisure and the rest for business. Lebanon can certainly attract a large portion of tourists thanks to its captivating nature and historical heritage. Chinese tourists spend big on their trips and most of the Euro-tourists are now in areas neighboring Lebanon such as Turkey and Egypt. When the Egyptian crisis broke out, 3000 Chinese tourists were evacuated in one week. This touristic movement enforces the human ties and the friendship between our peoples and I am exerting my efforts in that direction. The Lebanese-Chinese Friendship Association is scheduling visits for the Chinese travel and tourism offices to Lebanon in November and the Lebanese offices shall also visit China in later stages to make a tour and explore the country. It is of the utmost importance that we stop labeling Lebanon as a war-stricken and a conflict-ridden country and introduce it in a brand new image similar to that of Turkey which grew from a small population to a large and powerful community. I know this is not a walk in the park and serious efforts must be employed for that end including publicity campaigns promoting the beautiful image of Lebanon. I believe that tourism will serve as a starting point in attracting Chinese investments as well as proficient infrastructure companies. In Libya for instance, there were over 30.000 experts and employees working in the area when the crisis exploded there. These companies are in the area and they can head for Lebanon to work in different sectors including electricity, oil exploration, water dams and telecommunications. The one project run by a Chinese company right now is the expansion of Tripoli’s port which will be finished by the end of this year. There was a suggestion to start a permanent Chinese products exhibition in Tripoli but the project was up in the air due to July war. We will hopefully bring this project back to attention in the future. The embassy is working on similar projects elsewhere. Jordan for instance hosts a China fair every September and many Lebanese businessmen attend this exhibition. 12 Chinese businessmen were sent to Lebanon this year to explore the investment opportunities in the country.

Language is one of the major obstacles impeding the communication between Lebanon and China. What are you doing in this regard?

Eliminating this obstacle is not among the embassy’s duties. Chinese students are given English courses from an early age to facilitate the communication. The USJ and the Embassy signed a partnership agreement to establish the Confocius’ Institute aiming at teaching the Lebanese youth the Chinese language. There are five teachers entrusted with teaching the language and many schools are wishing to teach Chinese but we don’t have the necessary means to respond to their requests.

How large is the Chinese population in Lebanon?

It is a very small population. There are barely 20 to 30 Chinese most of whom are women married to Lebanese men.

How large is the Lebanese population in China?

I don’t have an accurate answer in this respect but all I know is that we are granting around 40-50 visas everyday and many Lebanese stay for a long period there. We adopt easy and flexible visa policies in China and the visas granted annually in Lebanon are estimated by 11 thousand.

How many workers are there in the embassy?

There are 20 diplomats and some Lebanese employees.

You have been in Lebanon for almost 10 months now, what are the things that you liked and disliked about our country?

There is not a thing that bothers me. Even the traffic jam that gets on people’s nerves is worthless compared to the congestion we have in Beijing. Everything is delightful, the nature, the historic and artistic riches, the food, the hospitality of the people. Lebanon has all the ingredients necessary to become a superior country enfolding high development rates and better lifestyles. Despite all the blows and the conflicts inflicted upon this country, the Lebanese are still dynamic and seeking the best. The private sector is forever on the go. Lebanon can become one of the wealthiest countries on earth. China deals with the deadliest natural disasters every year, it endures droughts and floods and earthquakes and wastes tons of billions while Lebanon does not have to worry about anything of the like. This is a real fortune that may place the country on a par with Switzerland and Luxembourg.

Commercial exchange between Lebanon and China (2007-2011)

The following table illustrates the huge gap in the commercial balance between Lebanon and China. China is the second largest exporter to Lebanon after the United States of America. 10.5% of the total Lebanese imports come from China. On the other hand, Lebanon’s export to China is estimated at 1.6% of total exports.