The head of a Chinese military delegation visiting the Seychelles earlier this month said that his country was interested in developing closer military ties with the Indian Ocean nation. In an email interview, Jonathan Holslag, a researcher at the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies, discussed China’s relations with the Seychelles.
WPR: What is the current state of China-Seychelles political, trade and military relations?
Jonathan Holslag: The partnership is characterized more by great expectations on the part of the Seychelles rather than a great Chinese presence. China’s visibility is growing. More tourists are discovering the island states, and some private entrepreneurs are opening small businesses. Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit in 2007 elicited great hopes for a torrent of Chinese investment and soaring trade, but the reality remains that the European Union is by far the Seychelles’ most important economic partner.