“I am a Chinese with Black Skin”

In November in Beijing it is already winter. People wear heavy coats. Chairs outside snack bars have been moved inside, and green plants can only be found in rooms with heating. But on the African continent, especially in Uganda lying across the equator, winter only means some more rain when people only add a long-sleeve shirt. The lush and green winter is the harvest time for bananas, the staple food of the Ugandan people. At dusk on November 11, 2003, a 13-member CPAFFC delegation headed by CPAFFC Vice President Wang Yunze on a goodwill visit to Uganda came to Kakiri, hometown of Ugandan Vice President Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya, where they enjoyed beautiful scenery, ate African flavored barbecues and chatted about Sino-Ugandan friendship.

Last January invited by the CPAFFC, Bukenya, the then minister in charge of the affairs of the Presidency, and his wife paid a visit to Beijing, Hunan, Ningbo, Shanghai and Shenzhen, and were accorded warm welcome and reception by the Chinese people. Ambassador Li told us that as soon as Bukenya and his wife got off the plane after returning from their visit in China, they went straight to the Chinese Embassy to participate in the Embassy's Spring Festival party where he spoke glowingly of China's achievements in its construction and broad prospects of cooperation between Uganda and China. He said earnestly to the Chinese Ugandan and overseas Chinese present at the party: "In future if you have some difficulties, you can come to me for help. I am your fellow countryman. I am a Chinese with black skin."

Since then he has always called himself "a Chinese with black skin", and devoted himself to the development of economic relations between Uganda and China. Not long after he returned from China, he was elected Ugandan vice president.

This time when he learnt that a CPAFFC delegation would visit Uganda, he immediately contacted the Chinese Embassy in Uganda and leaving aside all the unnecessary formalities invited the delegation to be guests at his home in his hometown Kakiri. He also invited the ministers that had visited China at the invitation of the CPAFFC to his home. Kakiri is in Wakiso District in the outskirts of Kampala, capital of Uganda. His residence is located on the top of a hill, and at the foot of the hill is his farm. When he saw the Chinese comrades who had received him during his stay in China, he was very happy and excited. While shaking hands with the head of the delegation, he thanked the CPAFFC for its invitation and warm reception, and said that the visit to China was an unforgettable experience to him and his wife.

At a banquet the Vice President held in honour of the delegation, he told a fable: "Once a master wanted to eat eggs and ham. On hearing the news, the hen was very sad and unwilling to part with her eggs. She said to the master, 'My eggs are used to hatch chicks. You will have many eggs to eat in the future. So please don't eat eggs now.' The pig also did not want to lose one of his legs. But being loyal to his master, he agreed with his master, saying that he would sacrifice himself for the master." After telling the fable, Bukenya said that the relationship between Uganda and China should be like that between the pig and the master loyal to each other and ready to sacrifice oneself for the interests of the other. Uganda could learn a lot from China, he added, and thanked the CPAFFC time and again for inviting many Ugandan ministers to visit China. He hoped that more ministers would visit China and learn experience of development from China.

It grew late at night. Everyone had eaten and drunk to the full. Several times the head of the delegation wanted to take leave, but was stopped by Bukenya who insisted that every member of the delegation drink and eat more. He said, "When I was in China, you entertained me with such wonderful dinners. My dinner is much simpler than yours." In the end, he himself opened a bottle of champagne and filled a glass for everyone, and asked all the ministers present and members of the delegation to raise their glasses to drink a toast to the friendship between the leaders and the peoples of Uganda and China and to the exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

When the delegation presented souvenirs to the Vice President, a copy of Quotations of Chairman Mao Tsetung, attracted his attention and he was very happy to get the book. During his visit to China in January 2003, he tried to use Chairman Mao's instructions to explain the Chinese people's attitudes and China's achievements in development. He had always hoped to read Chairman Mao's works, and asked for an English version of the "Treasured Red Book"( Quotations of Chairman Mao Tsetung), but had not got a copy yet. Comrades in the Chinese Embassy in Uganda told us that Selected Works of Mao Tsetung were very popular among Ugandan high-ranking officials. From President Y. K. Museveni to ministers, all worship Chairman Mao, and take pride in being able to quote from Chairman Mao's works in their speeches. So, they often came to the Chinese Embassy to ask for copies of the "Treasured Red Book", and sometimes the Embassy was unable to satisfy their needs. Before the visit a comrade of the CPAFFC happened to get a copy of the "Treasured Red Book" and specially brought it to Uganda to give it to Bukenya. Upon receiving the book, he said very excitedly, "This is the most important, the most important." While clasping Ambassador Li's hands, he said that this year marked the 110th anniversary of the birth of Chairman Mao and he would visit Shaoshan. On hearing Ambassador Li's explanation that foreign guests were usually not invited to participate in commemoration of Chairman Mao's birthday, Bukenya said with his eyes wide open, "I am a Chinese, a Chinese with black skin."

What a good expression! A leader who loves China so much is a blessing to the Ugandan people and the Chinese people as well.