The bigger your footprint, the greater the risk. China was recently reminded of the many tragedies that come with being a great power when insurgent gunmen in a raid on an oil field in Southern Ethiopia, killed 65 Ethiopians and nine Chinese workers. Seven other Chinese were kidnapped and later released.

China has taken this attack on its chin, and declared there is no question of walking away from the “Go Abroad” strategy that has encouraged Chinese “multi-national companies” and workers to look for greener pastures abroad, especially in search of oil. Today there are nearly one million Chinese nationals working abroad and about 7000 companies operating in markets around the world.

Ethiopia is not the first place, nor will it be the last, where China’s rising ambitions have run into local resentments. Over the last three years, dozens of Chinese workers, engineers and other civilians have been killed or kidnapped in strife-torn regions of Nigeria, Kenya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan.

Senior Chinese officials conceded that they were taken by surprise at the turn of events in Ethiopia, but have promised a thorough review of current security procedures abroad and to find ways to reduce the risks associated with venturing abroad.

There are two ways in which China can manage if not eliminate the risks of working in conflict situations abroad. One is to develop closer military and intelligence ties to the host governments, and the other is to increase the presence of its own security forces at sensitive locations abroad.

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