Getting arrested

His persistence in gaining first-hand information from the streets has occasionally got him into trouble. He was arrested in Ethiopia while working in the Chinese Embassy there from 1991-93. It was a chaotic period when the Mengistu regime was overthrown during a civil war and Ethiopia's Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) established a new government.

"When I was there, Addis Ababa was already surrounded by EPRDF forces and there wasn't much time left for the Mengistu regime," said Liu.

One day in April 1991, a British diplomat told Liu that a city about 100 km away from the capital was taken over by EPRDF forces. He went out to confirm if it's true because "if it is, we would consider evacuation of the Chinese people from the capital," Liu recalled. "But we need to make sure the information was accurate before making a decision."

On the streets outside Addis Ababa Liu saw few cars, but many trucks carrying troops. Driving until reaching a dam near the Nile Liu said he knew that Addis Ababa was still safe and the news he got was not true.

However shortly afterwards Liu and his colleague were arrested by soldiers at gunpoint.

After mediation of the Chinese Embassy, Liu and his colleague were immediately released. Finally, Addis Ababa was taken over by the EPRDF. "EPRDF troops, which were called rebels at that time, were actually a well-disciplined force with far-sighted vision," said Liu. "They did not encroach on any interests of ours and deployed troops to protect foreign embassies in the capital."

Working for FOCAC

Liu also participated in the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which he described as one of the most important projects in his diplomat career. He was then director general of the Department of African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

However, he said, it's rarely known that FOCAC was initiated by Lila Hanitra Ratsifandrihamanana, then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar.

During his visit to China in late 1999, Ratsifandrihamanana proposed a platform be set up for multilateral dialogue between China and African countries, while talking with Chinese Foreign Minster Tang Jiaxuan.

"I believe we could at least do two things for African countries through FOCAC: exempting African countries' debts and training African people in human resources development," said Liu.

Serving as secretary general of the Preparing Committee of FOCAC meant more work and responsibilities for Liu, due to the lack of experience in preparing a multilateral exchange mechanism. He said he learned many "bitter lessons" during the process, and very often he could not go to sleep for several days. "I was totally exhausted."

Even late at night of the day before the opening of the first Ministerial Conference of FOCAC, Liu and his African counterparts were still discussing issues needing a consensus.