The Chinese Foreign Ministry seemingly went out of its way on Friday to challenge an August 19th story published by The Economist that was critical of China’s plans to finance the construction of a new deep-water fishing port in Sierra Leone: “many Sierra Leoneans fret that the project may threaten the surrounding rainforest and the country’s fledgling tourism industry.”

Spokeswoman Hua Chunyin read a tightly scripted response to what was likely a choreographed question posed by CCTV. “The claims in this article about the fishmeal plant, destruction of surrounding rainforest, disregard for the local people, China hoovering up resources, are all untrue and untenable,” she said.