The question now has to be what will happen when the ship gets to Mozambique?.......... The country has, for many years been a complete mega bugly stuff up with astounding lack of organisation......... however, of all the countries in sub saharan Africa, it is one of the most dependant on foreign aid.

The western world needs to waste no time in making it clear to what passes for Government in Mozambique, that if the cargo is allowed to pass through the country, ALL foreign aid will cease immediatly........... lets hope the western Governments have the backbone to make that clear.

steve, white river, south africa

Once the Chinese develop their fleet, to the point where the Americans just have to get out of their way, there isn't going to be much anyone can do to stop them land grabbing. No one is going to provoke a nuclear war with China.

Mark Johnson, Liverpool,

No one in intelligence has ever come out and said what many of us would take as truth ...that China is deliberately destablising nations for future military gaols.
A report from the christian mission field in China many years ago showed maps on Chinese classroom walls showing Australia as New South China.
A subsequent report I read following this from another traveller in China said the same but called Australia New China.
Check out kings of the east if you have time.
It speaks about a vast asian army one day crossing asia towards Israel.

G. Gibson, Sydney, Australia

Couldn't they have got the ship to take Thabo Mbeki as well???

David Ashton, Bathurst, Australia

Another few years and South Africa will be like Zimbabwe / Rhodesia - another good country ruined by native tribalism. Mbeki should join Mugabe in prison. Good for the unions: at least someone in South Africa has some sense.

Terry Dell, Weybridge, UK

Finally some sense being applied.

Brian, Oak Hills, California USA

good for the dockers
they have more guts than the politicians, apparently

grindles, London, england

Africa needs democratic government that provides social interaction and interactive civil order. China needs new lands for their massive population and food for the masses in China. As HIV continues and destabilizes Africa then vacated lands present opportunities. For China, movement into Africa makes a good tactical positioning.

However, will African people give farm lands to the Chinese to grow needed food? The Chinese can put African lands to productive uses; and with military presence, China can provide civil order. Has this change of management been made formal with a signed agreement? Has the formal agreement been put into circulation at the United Nations?

It might present good adaptations; but without agreement to all parties, the China-Zimbabwe military advancement might need additional interactive work. Without additional work then might skeptics consider Armed Chinese troops in Zimbabwe as Chinese adventurism?

Does improved China-Zimbabwe interaction need United Nations consideration? Is such an improvement correct for other Southern Africa nations? It has promise.

Thomas C. Inskip, Gulan, Guatemala