Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


China Prepares Libya Evacuation

   Peter Simpson | Beijing  February 23, 2011
   Bulgarian  planes  carrying  a  total  of  111 Bulgarians and 91 other
   foreigners  -  Croats,  Serbs  and Macedonians, Romanians, Chinese and
   South Koreans arrive in Sofia, from Tripoli, Libya, February 23, 2011

Photo: AFP

   Bulgarian  planes  carrying  a  total  of  111 Bulgarians and 91 other
   foreigners  -  Croats,  Serbs  and Macedonians, Romanians, Chinese and
   South Koreans arrive in Sofia, from Tripoli, Libya, February 23, 2011

   China is preparing a mass evacuation of its citizens from Libya, where
   a violent uprising has seen Chinese interests come under attack.

   China  said Wednesday it is sending a fleet of ships, buses and planes
   to Libya to evacuate over 30,000 Chinese nationals.
   A  chartered plane left Beijing Wednesday loaded with food and medical
   supplies, and will also take part in the mission.
   Hundreds  have  been  killed  in  an  uprising  against leader Moammar
   Gadhafi.
   Scores  of  Chinese working on Chinese-funded oil fields, and rail and
   telecommunications  projects  have also been attacked by armed looters
   and robbers.
   Beijing has called on Tripoli to ensure the safety of its citizens and
   backed a United Nations Security Council call to seek an investigation
   into the violence against its interests.
   Russell  Leigh  Moses,  a  Beijing-based analyst who writes on Chinese
   politics,  says China is in what he describes as firefighting mode. He
   says  that the Beijing government is not concerned about the criticism
   it   has  gotten  for  not  joining  the  international  community  in
   condemning the Libyaâs use of force to quell the protests.
   "I'm  not  sure  the government is concerned right now about its image
   overseas  or protecting developing countries or looking out for allies
   per se. I think it is really concerned in the short term at this point
   and the emergency situation and protecting Chinese,â said Moses.
   Gadhafi  on Tuesday appeared to try to justify the violence by drawing
   parallels  with  the  Chinese Communist Party's use of deadly military
   force to put down the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protest.
   Chinese  censors have blacked out Gadhafi's reference on news reports,
   including those aired by international broadcasters.

.