Field and river

20th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies (ICES20)
Mekelle University, Ethiopia

"Regional and Global Ethiopia - Interconnections and Identities"
1-5 October, 2018

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REASONS BEHIND THE DERG REGIME’S FOREIGN POLICY CHANGE TOWARD CHINA BY THE END OF 1970S: A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS [Abstract ID: 0901-09]

PAN Liang, Research Assistant Professor, Center of African Union Studies, Tianjin University of Technology and Education, China

After the establishment of diplomatic relations on 24 November 1970, Ethio-China relations undergone a period of repaid deepening for nearly 4 years. A number of long last bilateral cooperation traditions between China and Ethiopia were initiated during this period. The 1974 military coup brought an end to the rule of Emperor Haile Selassie and opened a new era full of uncertainties for both Ethiopia and her relations with China. The friendly foreign policy adopted by the newly established Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia toward China allowed the relations between the two countries to develop with considerable momentum in the early years of the Derg. Old bilateral projects were quickly resumed and new ones initiated. However, this did not last long. Soon after the rise of Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1977, the Derg regime gradually changed its foreign policy toward China with increasing hostility. Bilateral relations deteriorated as a result. This paper intends to dig into the reasons behind this policy change which hopefully would contribute to the reconstruction of the history of Ethio-China relations.