Tirana gets new Chinese ambassador
Tirana Times
TIRANA, Jan 11 – A new Chinese ambassador has recently started his term at the Tirana embassy, as authorities in both countries are hoping to build on the momentum of increased relations.
Chinese Ambassador to Tirana Ye Hao officially started his term in December 2011. He has held meetings with top Albanian officials, pointing out to China’s goal to intensify economic and trade relations with Albania to benefit the best interests of both countries.
The Chinese ambassador noted in a meeting with Albanian Prime Minister China wants to promote relations with Albania in all areas, ranging from culture to the economy, according to a press release by the Albanian government, but it is trade and development that have attracted a lot of interest, economy experts note. There are also plans in the work for the Chinese Development Bank to finance Albanian government projects, according to Albanian officials.
Experts at the Albanian Institute for International Studies tell Tirana Times the Albanian government needs to have a clearer vision on strengthening relations which China, because all recent Albanian governments, both run by Democrats or Socialists, have said they are willing to strengthen relations with China, but they have often looked for short-term actions and policies rather than establishing long-term economic interests in priority areas for both countries like energy, mining and tourism.
The arrival of a new top Chinese diplomat not only signals a new term for the embassy, but another chance for increased cooperation, these experts note.
Albania and China have a rich, though at times volatile, history of cooperation, and very high level Chinese and Albanian visits in the respective countries have aimed at increasing cooperation between the world’s second largest economy and its once lone ally in Europe.
Diplomatic relations between Albania and China were officially established in 1949. Under the leadership of Enver Hoxha, Albania became important, not just as a political ally to China, but because it seemed to confirm and validate the Maoist doctrine as an internationally-embraced ideology. Valuing Albanian support, the Asian superpower put extraordinary effort into its friendship with the tiny Balkan state, showering it with intensive economic support, and assisting in the building of Albania’s key hydropower plants, in addition to many other sectors of the infrastructure.
For Hoxha, however, the value of a powerful and generous ally lasted only as long as it paralleled his isolationist ideology. He cut ties with China in the late 1970. Restoration of ties started slowly after Hoxha’s death and continued in post-communist Albania.
Currently, China is a large importer of Albanian chrome, and some of its companies already have ties to Albania, but there is a lot of room for growth, experts note.
Huawei Techonolgies, one of the largest Chinese IT and communications providers, was instrumental in Eagle Mobile’s establishment; while, another Chinese companyؚTEبas played a significant role in Albtelecom’s operations.
Politically, the two have also intensified collaboration, reaching a highpoint in 2009 when the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, made a landmark visit to Albania. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also visited in 2011.
At the recent meeting between Premier Berisha and the Ambassador Ye Hao, the Chinese diplomat said the embassy intends to implement projects in culture, education, scientific research, tourism, economic cooperation, and the creation of the necessary infrastructure for developing other businesses, according to a press release by the Albanian government.
Indeed securing strong economic ties and also friendly relations with strategic powers would be a useful goal in 2012, especially taking into consideration the global financial crisis and its potential impact on the country’s economy and the fact that China is one of the few states that has remained strong during the past few tumultuous years.
AIIS experts also note Albania’s priority to be part of a strong Euro-Atlantic community is not mutually exclusive with a strong economic relationship with China, since many of Albania’s Euro-Atlantic partners already have such a relationship in place.
