China to provide US $1.2 million in support

The governments of the Central African Republic (CAR) and China signed an economic cooperation worth 10 million yuan (US $1.2 million) on Tuesday, 26 March, Radio Centrafrique reported from the CAR capital, Bangui. The Chinese embassy in Bangui confirmed this information to IRIN on Thursday, and noted that discussions between the two governments were in progress as to how the funding could best be used. China and CAR established diplomatic relations on 29 September 1964, at which time CAR severed its relations with Taiwan, with whom it had established diplomatic relations in 1962. However, when Jean-Bedel Bokassa came to power in 1966, the regime decided to suspend diplomatic relations with China, and resumed relations with Taiwan in May 1968. Relations between China and CAR were normalised following the signing of a joint communique between the two countries on 20 August 1976. On 8 July 1991, the CAR government again resumed its relations with Taiwan, causing China to suspend relations. Most recently, on 29 January 1998, the two countries resumed diplomatic relations after signing a joint communique in which CAR agreed "to recognise the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the entire Chinese people".