China moved to embrace Libya's new government yesterday after Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's death, updating its references to the former leader in state media from the "strongman" who defied the West to the "madman" whose time ran out.
Beijing initially refused to criticise Col Gaddafi or to support the rebellion, which began in February. As recently as late August, Col Gaddafi was described in relatively complimentary terms as a "Middle Eastern strongman" who defied Western threats and pressure.
Yesterday, however, state media outlets began referring to Col Gaddafi in disparaging terms not seen before.
"The death of Gaddafi concludes the Middle East's era of madmen," the People's Daily newspaper declared, while the website of the official Xinhua news agency simply captioned a photo of the former Libyan dictator: "The Middle Eastern madman Gaddafi".
Jettisoning any last vestige of neutrality, China's Foreign Ministry yesterday called for the rapid launch of an inclusive political process and economic reconstruction in Libya.
"At present, a new page has been turned in the history of Libya," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu. AP - Todayonline
Apart from the right wing, we must be careful and discerning... there are many good people in China ...
22 October 2011
