Official at Libyan rebel oil firm says it could have problems working with countries that did not back the Nato campaign

This article is more than 9 years old

This article is more than 9 years old

China is seeking to reaffirm its ties with Libya as it looks ahead to a future without Gaddafi, calling for its investments to be protected after rebels suggested they might freeze out countries that had not supported them.

"China's investment in Libya, especially its oil investment, is one aspect of mutual economic co-operation … and this co-operation is in the mutual interest of both the people of China and Libya," a commerce ministry official told reporters on Tuesday.

Wen Zhongliang, deputy head of the ministry's trade department, added: "We hope after a return to stability in Libya, Libya will continue to protect the interests and rights of Chinese investors and we hope to continue investment and economic co-operation."

His remarks came after an official at the Libyan rebel oil firm Agoco told Reuters: "We don't have a problem with western countries like the Italians, French and UK companies. But we may have some political issues with Russia, China and Brazil."

China abstained in the UN security council vote that authorised the Nato campaign, but then condemned the strikes and expressed "deep concern" about them.

Despite that it has courted Libyan rebels, and praised the National Transitional Council (NTC) as a major political force in Libya and important dialogue partner.

On Monday, a spokesman for the foreign ministry said China respected "the choice of the Libyan people" and hoped for a return to stability.

Last week, China's state news agency, Xinhua, said a rebel leader had urged Chinese enterprises to return. Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, vice-president of the NTC, said it would honour all deals and contracts agreed with Gaddafi's government. Around 3% of China's crude oil imports came from Libya last year. According to Chinese media, around 75 companies were operating in Libya before the war, with 36,000 staff – who had to be evacuated in the largest such operation undertaken by China.

Yin Gang, an expert on the region at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, predicted that Beijing could develop stronger ties with a Libya under new leadership.

"After the civil war, which has destroyed a lot of infrastructure, Libya will face [the task of] reconstruction. China will make use of its advantages and competitiveness to get involved," he predicted.

Yin added: "China's share in Libya's natural resources was less than 1%, almost negligible, and I don't think it will increase in the future. The most important relationship between these two countries is not [about] oil at all, but labour and technology export."

Several Chinese newspapers focused on the difficulties of reconstructing the country.

China's official Global Times newspaper warned in a commentary: "The west has to take responsibility for clearing up its mess in Libya."

China Youth Daily said Europe had not put forward an effective plan for a transition to democracy in Libya and would find it hard to help given its economic situation.

The official China Daily noted that the Libyan embassy in Beijing had already replaced the old flag with the flag used by the rebels.