China Unwavering in its Support for Africa

The visit to African countries at the start of the year is a tradition that dates back to January 1991 and is aimed at cementing ties between African countries and China.

China’s support for the liberation struggle in South Africa is even older as Mao Zedong met with South African Communist Party members Jusuf Dadoo and Vella on November 3 1960.

The African Union Headquarters is in Ethiopia, and the League of Arab States Headquarters is in Egypt, so making these countries the first and last stop shows China's tribute to all African countries and Arab countries.

China encourages countries to get united under the framework of the African Union and the League of Arab States so that all countries can strive for “Common Prosperity”.

This visit would be important for African countries to build a rapport with the new Chinese foreign minister, who could be in the job for the next decade.

"China has always supported Africans in solving African problems in African ways," Qin said.

Development is the most effective solution for conflicts, as poverty and famine are underlying reasons for most conflicts on the continent, so China aims to help the regional peace process by providing funds and expertise for capacity building, education, infrastructure and public health.

In 2022, former Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Comoros, Eritrea and Kenya.

In 2021, Wang visited Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Seychelles and Tanzania. The Beijing-based consultancy Development Re-imagined estimated that senior Chinese leaders had made some 80 visits to 43 African countries over the last decade. In addition, the reverse flow is equally important as Beijing has rolled out the red carpet for the leaders of African countries on numerous occasions.

Wang also co-chaired the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal, in late November 2021. The strong ties between China and South Africa were entrenched when South Africa hosted the Johannesburg Summit of FOCAC in December 2015. It was also the first FOCAC Summit to take place on the continent.

African countries have benefited from China’s growth over the past two decades, and China is the leading country for our exports and imports as it has grown its national economy from the sixth in the world to become the second-largest in the world, with some economists predicting that it could be the largest by 2030.

In terms of trade in goods, it has grown from sixth to first, and in terms of trade in services, it has moved from 11th to second.

China's shipping industry has played an important role in the global shipping market, which has been severely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in widespread supply chain interruptions.

So far, the Silk Road Maritime Alliance, the first international integrated logistics service brand in China themed on shipping under the BRI, has had more than 200 members, with 86 shipping routes connecting 102 ports in 29 countries around the world.

Under the BRI, China has funded the construction of highways, railways, ports and power plants across Africa.

The inclusion of Benin and Gabon in the tour underlines China’s ambition to expand the BRI into western Africa after initially focusing on countries that border the Indian Ocean.

China was also the largest trade partner and top investor in Gabon, which is currently a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Qin also re-iterated China’s commitment to multilateralism rather than escalation of tensions between the “West” and China.

"Africa should be a big stage for international cooperation, not an arena for major countries' competition," Qin said at a news conference on January 11 with African Union Commission chair Moussa Faki.

Qin’s visit follows the first China-Arab States Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December 2022, at which President Xi Jinping stressed China’s economic commitments to Middle Eastern and North African countries.

In recent years, China has extended its influence in Africa by not only building infrastructure but also providing military support and internet services.

(SOURCE: IOL)