Chinese presence in Ebola-struck West Africa falls sharply

The number of Chinese living in countries affected by Ebola has dropped sharply and some Chinese companies have evacuated workers, disrupting trade and putting further strain on economies in West Africa, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing official figures. In August, the Commerce Ministry estimated 20,000 Chinese lived in Ebola-affected countries; today, about 10,000 Chinese live in the same area, the Foreign Ministry said. While China’s economy still requires the resources Africa produces, demand for some key commodities in affected countries – such as bauxite from Guinea – have slackened during the epidemic.