The Rhodesia Herald 22 January 1971
COMMUNIST Chinese language involvement in Africa, which acquired set-backs on the time of China’s cultural revolution is hotting up once more. Mr. Heath’s comment at Singapore about one Commonwealth member which had concluded a navy association with Peking with out angering its companions is taken as a sideswipe at Tanzania.
For final 12 months President Nyerere determined to rely fully on the Chinese language for equipping and coaching his military, navy and air power.
Main defence initiatives during which the Chinese language have been concerned in Tanzania have been the development of navy barracks costing the equal of R$1 million at Nachingwea and a naval base at Dar es Salaam.
Two squadrons of MiG-17 jet fighters have been reported late final 12 months to be earmarked by China for the Tanzanian Air Pressure.
Tanzania is believed to have about 18 battalions of troops in coaching and is understood to have Chinese language-made tanks and armoured automobiles in service.
The Chinese language have their largest mission on the island of Zanzibar the place they’re additionally answerable for coaching the three 000-man military. The Russian navy mission there was withdrawn.
Different African nations during which Peking is reported to be taking explicit curiosity are Congo-Brazzaville, Sudan, Uganda and Somalia.
Of main curiosity was the choice by Ethiopia to recognise Peking. Observers have described this as a big growth in China’s new concern with the so-called non-aligned nations.
The growing extent of Chinese language affect in Africa, significantly alongside the east coast, is among the purpose for step-up Soviet naval exercise within the Indian Ocean.
