China, Africa continue to jointly promote common progress

March 22, 2022 Liu Yuxi World Stage 



This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the African Union (AU). Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping extended his warm congratulations to African countries and people in a congratulatory message to the AU Summit, which mirrored the unbreakable and everlasting friendship between China and Africa.

The AU, as a successor of the Organization of African Unity founded in 1963, officially replaced the latter in July 2002 when it held its first summit, and has become the most representative and authoritative intergovernmental organization in Africa.


Over the past 20 years, the AU has stayed committed to seeking strength through unity, actively explored a development path suited to Africa, facilitated important progress in regional integration and coordinated a concerted response from African countries to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Such efforts have proven effective in maintaining peace, stability and development in Africa, and have won Africa growing influence and stature in the world
China and the AU are important partners in promoting high-level China-Africa community with a shared future and safeguarding international equity and justice.


China is the world’s largest developing country, and Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. Shared past experiences and similar aims and goals have brought China and Africa close together.

Since the founding of the AU, China-AU relations have been constantly developing. The two sides have maintained frequent high-level mutual visits. In 2008, they established a strategic dialogue mechanism, and their political mutual trust has been continuously deepened.

he China-aided AU headquarters’ building, which was completed in 2012, became a new monument of China-Africa cooperation. In 2015 and 2018, the Chinese Mission to the AU and the AU Representative Office in Beijing were respectively launched, further consolidating their bilateral relationship.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and the AU have helped each other and fought side by side to defeat the pandemics.

In February 2020, the AU issued a communiqué in support of China’s anti-pandemic efforts, being the first international organization to offer China such support.

China has provided more than 100 batches of medical supplies to African countries and the AU. The China-aided headquarters of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention commenced its phase-1 project ahead of schedule and was topped-out at the end of the last year.

China and the AU signed a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of a coordination mechanism for Belt and Road cooperation. It marked that the China-Africa joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has entered a new phase of implementation, and has injected new impetus into China-Africa win-win cooperation and common development.

At the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in November 2021, President Xi announced ‘nine programs’ for future cooperation with Africa, including a donation of another 1 billion doses of vaccines to Africa aiming to help Africa strengthen capacity building in public health.

With profound changes and a pandemic unseen in a century, the global governance system is undergoing unprecedented adjustments. To respond to new challenges brought about by COVID-19, President Xi put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and the initiative has been well received by African countries.

China welcomes the AU and African countries to join the initiative, and is willing to further synergize the GDI with the AU Agenda 2063. The GDI will become another powerful booster to promote China-Africa cooperation and play a positive role in Africa’s economic recovery and sustainable development.

Both history and reality prove that the close relationship between China and Africa is not forged within a day, nor was it bestowed by others. Instead, their relationship was a hard-won result of the two sides’ long-term mutual assistance offered through thick and thin.

The majestic strength of the 2.7 billion people in China and Africa is unstoppable. China-Africa cooperation will continue to enhance the welfare of the Chinese and African peoples, and create a bright future featuring common development and prosperity.

Countering China’s Expansionism: 

Japan-India Synergy in Africa Amidst US Aid Retrenchment

FPRI

JULY 7, 2025

Introduction

The Japan-India-Africa Business Forum, held on February 26, 2025, marked a strategic step in strengthening the India-Japan partnership, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering collaboration and promoting economic growth in Africa and beyond. Convened by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Nikkei, this forum comes at a critical juncture when the United States is retreating from its aid diplomacy, while China continues to leverage strategic and extractive financing to entrench economic dependencies and expand its Sino-centric world order. This shift challenges the liberal rules-based order by promoting a power-based system, with Africa as a key geopolitical arena.

To understand why Africa is central to these competing geopolitical and economic visions, we can apply Rufus Miles’ statement: “Where one stands depends on where one sits.” Africa sits at the crossroads of the global power system, giving it strategic leverage in shaping the current international order — politically, economically, militarily, strategically, environmentally, and developmentally. It provides Africa with the action space to be part of any agenda on security, peace, and development. However, Africa’s capacity and ability to influence global affairs depend on how effectively it engages with major powers and develops a comprehensive, coherent strategy that enables African states and institutions to coordinate policies, enhance economic resilience, and improve the livelihoods of African people.

What Africa needs is a transparent and responsive partnership that acts as an enabler for sustainable growth and development — one that aligns with African priorities and needs. Such a partnership must be constructive and inclusive, working alongside like-minded reliable nations while promoting openness and transparency to ensure clarity in intent and action. A secure and stable Africa is not only vital for the continent’s sustainable development but also essential for global peace and security, aligning with India and Japan’s shared vision of a free, open, and rules-based international order.

Africa is extremely important for maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law, as its 54 countries collectively account for more than a quarter of UN members. Furthermore, as the world’s second-largest continent, Africa spans 43 million km², covering one-fifth of the Earth’s total surface. Its coastline, including its islands, stretches over 26,000 nautical miles, with 38 African nations classified as either coastal or island states. This vast maritime and territorial expanse further amplifies Africa’s geopolitical significance, making it a focal point in the India-Japan strategy to counter China’s extractive expansionism amidst the retraction of US aid.

China’s Extractive Expansionism Amidst US Aid Retrenchment

China’s flagship One Belt, One Road initiative, which is not popularly known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) represents Beijing’s grand strategy to create a Sino-centric world order by expanding China’s sphere of influence, particularly in Africa. Through the BRI, China aims to fosters closer economic integration with countries across the globe, aligning their interests with Beijing’s long-term strategic goals. The initiative enables Chinese state-owned enterprises to export industrial overcapacity — notably in cement, steel, and construction — while simultaneously creating investment opportunities for its vast financial reserves and securing employment for Chinese workers.

However, China’s engagement in Africa is not merely political or economic; it is deeply strategic and extractive. Beijing’s polarizing financing model—marked by predatory lending and debt-trap diplomacy—has created long-term economic dependencies, giving China significant leverage over policy decisions in African states. This approach allows Beijing to expand its hegemonic influence in Africa’s resource-rich regions while justifying its permanent military presence in the Indian Ocean Region to which it has no direct access, through infrastructure projects, port acquisitions, and its military base in Djibouti — China’s first overseas military installation.

China’s Expanding Economic Footprint in Africa

China has emerged as Africa’s largest trading partner and creditor, with bilateral trade surpassing $295 billion in 2024 — a figure greater than the combined India-Africa ($100 billion), US-Africa ($71.6 billion), and Japan-Africa ($24 billion) trade. Beijing’s predatory lending and development finance from 2000 to 2022 amounted to an estimated $170.08 billion, of which $134.01 billion came from Chinese development finance institutions — the China Development Bank (CDB) and the Export-Import Bank of China (CHEXIM). These funds were primarily directed toward energy, mining, transport, information technology, financial services, industry, trade, and services, fueling Beijing’s strategic ambitions. Additionally, during the 2023 China-Africa Forum, China pledged $51 billion in loans, investments, and aid to Africa, further deepening economic dependencies.

As an infrastructure-deficient continent, Africa relies heavily on external collaboration to develop its infrastructure. China has capitalized on this need, becoming the largest foreign investor in African infrastructure, significantly outpacing the US, India, Japan, and Europe. In 2022, 31 percent of all major African infrastructure projects (valued at $50 million or more) were undertaken by Chinese firms, compared to just 12 percent by Western firms. Chinese companies have become a one-stop solution for African needs — providing labor, materials, technology, and financial resources, all originating from China. Through the BRI, China has rapidly constructed railways, highways, hydroelectric dams, bridges, and ports, gaining strategic control over Africa’s transportation, energy, manufacturing, industrial parks, healthcare, trade, e-commerce, and legal and commercial sectors. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, Chinese investments in infrastructure totaled $155 billion over the past two years, providing Beijing with substantial leverage over African governments. Over the past three decades, China has completely reversed Western dominance in African infrastructure — where once the US and European firms controlled 85 percent of contracts, China now leads in construction and multiple other sectors.

China’s role in Africa’s maritime connectivity and critical infrastructure is particularly striking. Chinese state-owned firms are active in 78 ports across 32 African countries as builders, financiers, or operators — a larger presence than anywhere else in the world. China’s economic engagement with Africa has yielded significant returns, particularly in port infrastructure investments. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), on the other hand, creates a single market projected to grow to 1.7 billion people and $6.7 trillion in consumer and business spending by 2030, offering a massive market base for Chinese goods. Furthermore, for every $1 invested in African ports, China reportedly gains as much as $13 in trade revenues, reinforcing China’s neo-colonial presence in Africa as it continues to drain the continent’s wealth. This underscores Africa’s strategic importance in Beijing’s grand strategy, as many of these ports are dual-use facilities capable of supporting Chinese naval operations when required, providing Beijing with strategic depth in a region where its core interests are concentrated. Thus, China’s economic expansion in Africa is not purely commercial and transactional — it is deeply strategic. By controlling Africa’s critical infrastructure, energy systems, and extractive industries, Beijing secures long-term access to raw materials, safeguards its trade routes, and legitimizes its growing military presence in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Impact of US Aid Retrenchment under Trump 2.0

The announcement by the Trump 2.0 administration of an 83 percent cut in American aid on March 10 will significantly impact many African countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is the largest recipient of American aid funds after Ukraine, receiving 40 percent of total aid. These funds are critical for various sectors essential to the continent’s prosperity and development, with five major priorities: education, food security, humanitarian aid, health, and economic development.

Historically, the United States was one of Africa’s primary trade and investment partners. However, Washington’s gradual disengagement will create space for China — which had faced economic headwinds slowing its African engagement in recent years — to regain lost ground and fill the vacuum. In 2021, total US foreign direct investment in Africa stood at just $44.8 billion, dwarfed by Chinese investments. While China actively strengthens its presence, the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw aid will further alienate African nations, eroding support for the liberal rules-based international order and reinforcing China’s influence. The impact of US aid retrenchment will be particularly felt in strategically positioned countries like Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, South Africa, and Mozambique, creating tailwinds for Beijing’s deeper engagement in Africa. Washington’s aid withdrawal strategy is counterproductive, as it pushes African nations closer to China, undermining US strategic interests on the continent.

However, all is not well with Beijing’s African adventures. Growing discontent over poor-quality infrastructure, lack of transparency, and exploitative practices has led to increasing criticism and even contract cancellations by African governments. Several African nations have raised concerns about shoddy construction, lack of local employment, and opaque contract terms associated with Chinese projects. Many of these projects suffer from corruption, substandard work, and hidden financial conditions, raising alarms about their long-term viability. In a notable legal case, on February 11, 2022, South Africa’s Department of Employment and Labor filed a case against China’s Huawei Technologies for failing to comply with the country’s Employment Equity Policy. This reflects broader concerns across Africa about Chinese firms prioritizing Chinese labor over local employment, thereby undermining economic benefits for host nations.

Despite these criticisms, China’s financial footprint in Africa remains extensive. Between 2000 and 2019, China signed 1,141 loan agreements worth $153 billion with African governments and state-owned enterprises. These loans, often tied to resource-backed lending and opaque contractual terms, have contributed to Africa’s growing debt distress and increased China’s leverage over key African economies.

As China’s predatory economic model faces growing resistance, Africa’s need for responsive, transparent, and sustainable partnerships prioritizing African needs becomes even more pressing. This further underscores the urgency for like-minded partners such as India and Japan to step in, offering an alternative that prioritizes mutual growth, capacity building, and economic self-sufficiency for African nations.

Japan-India-Africa Business Forum: A Timely Initiative

The Japan-India-Africa Business Forum is a timely initiative, especially considering the lackluster traction of the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, which was initiated by India and Japan in November 2016. The convening of this forum renews the shared commitment to promoting development and economic growth in Africa and beyond. It will help deconflict initiatives and avoid fragmentation of efforts by like-minded, reliable, and responsible partners working toward the shared goal of a rules-based international order. By pooling public- and private-sector resources, Japan and India can fully utilize the enormous growth potential of African markets.

As the Global South emerges as the future driver of economic growth, with Africa at its core, it is imperative that India and Japan ensure that Africa’s priorities, aspirations, and interests are fully represented on the global stage. New Delhi has consistently “championed this cause, whether through the Voice of the Global South Summits, its G20 Presidency — where it successfully secured full membership for the African Union in the G20, or through platforms like the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS).”

Similarly, Japan has engaged with Africa through multiple platforms, including the Japan-Africa Public-Private Economic Forum and Japan’s Partnership for Business Development in Africa. At the G7 Hiroshima Summit in May 2023, G7 leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening partnerships with African countries, pledging continued support for peace, stability, and prosperity on the continent. To gain African support, Japan and India must actively contribute to Africa’s peace and prosperity through aid, investment, and military support.

Japan’s Engagement with Africa

Since hosting the first Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in 1993, Japan has focused on encouraging economic development across the continent, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. At the 8th TICAD, Japan has announced its intention to invest $30 billion in public and private financial investment over the next three years into Africa to strengthen a free and open international economic system, green growth, healthcare, education, climate, conflict prevention, and democratization. Over the past 30 years, Japan has cultivated strong diplomatic and economic ties with African nations, positioning itself as a partner in maintaining a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

However, Japan’s Official Development Assistance to Africa is declining due to its aging population, fiscal constraints, and economic stagnation. With gross public debt at 261 percent of GDP in 2022, it is virtually impossible for Japan to increase assistance to African countries at levels that compete with China’s growing presence. Recognizing this, the Japanese government has shifted its African diplomacy toward partnered engagement, where public- and private-sector investment from partner countries contributes to sustained economic growth and quality infrastructure exports in the targeted region, in this case Africa.

India’s Deep-Rooted Engagement with Africa

India’s engagement with Africa dates back centuries, with deep-rooted historical and trade linkages. India’s interaction with Africa is guided by the Kampala Principles enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, which emphasize a shared vision of prosperity and universal values of liberty, dignity, equality, and opportunity for all. Towards this end, India’s constructive maritime policy of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) advances a holistic and inclusive security and development framework that will act as an enabler for sustained growth and peace. This approach aims to build capabilities and enhance security in Africa’s maritime neighborhood and beyond. In this regard, India has taken proactive steps in strengthening Africa’s defense capabilities through initiatives such as the India–Africa Defence Ministers Conclave, the Africa-India Field Training Exercise, and the gifting of military assets and training of African personnel. Beyond defense and security, India has also prioritized capacity building and human resource development as a core aspect of its Africa engagement through programs such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program, the Pan-African e-Network Project, and the High-Impact Community Development Projects. Moreover, in 2019 India launched e-VidyaBharti and e-ArogyaBharti, providing high-quality virtual education and medical services to African partners, catering to their educational and healthcare needs.

India is also Africa’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $100 billion and growing steadily. India has made a significant commitment of over $12 billion in concessional credit to develop Africa’s infrastructure, aimed at enhancing connectivity. To date, India has completed more than 200 projects across the continent, spanning railways, power generation, agriculture, water supply, and industrial infrastructure, contributing to local employment and long-term economic growth. India’s development projects in drinking water, rural solar electrification, power plants, cement and textile factories, technology parks, and railway infrastructure have transformed African communities and remain critical pillars of India’s engagement with Africa.

Conclusion

In today’s geopolitical context, countering authoritarianism and power-based systems that challenge the liberal rules-based order requires responsible and reliable partners to join forces. Amidst the vacuum left by US aid withdrawal, China has gained ample space to create a polarized, dependent, and Sino-centric regional order — one in which it dictates the terms of engagement and monopolizes Africa’s trade, politics, security, and digital corridors. This not only undermines liberal interests but also erodes Africa’s autonomy, fostering unsustainable dependencies. As Africa is central to China’s expansionist strategy — serving as both a resource hub and a geopolitical gateway to a Sino-centric world order — it is critical for India and Japan to step in.

India and Japan can play a transformative role in Africa by counterbalancing these trends through a model based on sustainability, transparency, and mutual growth. By combining Japanese technology, investment, and expertise with India’s soft power, industrial base, and digital capabilities, and Africa’s vast talent pool and consumer market, the three regions can create a mutually beneficial framework that fosters and preserves the rules-based order. A key aspect of this partnership would be strengthening resilient supply chains in critical and emerging sectors such as renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. These efforts would not only transform lives and livelihoods but also reinforce Africa’s economic sovereignty and long-term stability.

As Africa’s growth and prosperity will benefit not only its people but also broader geopolitical stability, economic progress, and global security, India and Japan — through their complementary strengths — are well-positioned to support the continent’s development in a sustainable and inclusive manner. This forum, therefore, marks the beginning of a new chapter — one that corrects the shortcomings of the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor and sets a precedent for two nations working together to engage with an entire continent. This unique and ambitious model offers a fresh approach to economic and strategic partnerships, reinforcing the vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific and Africa. It transcends geographical boundaries, promotes a rules-based order, and provides a viable alternative to China’s growing dominance in Africa.

Ultimately, filling the vacuum left by US aid retrenchment is not just an economic necessity — it is a strategic imperative in safeguarding Africa’s sovereignty and global stability. Through sustainable financing, capacity building, and responsible investments, India and Japan must work together to ensure Africa’s future is defined by self-reliance and shared prosperity, rather than dependency and coercion.

Image credit: Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attend the 2018 Beijing Summit Of The Forum On China-Africa Cooperation – Round Table Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China September 4, 2018. Lintao Zhang/Pool via REUTERS

POSTMODERN IMPERIALISM

China's top diplomat heads to Africa as West's attention dwindles

Joe Cash
Updated Mon, January 6, 2025 


World leaders attend United Nations "Summit of the Future" in New York

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's top diplomat began his annual New Year tour of Africa on Sunday, maintaining a 35-year-long tradition, to quietly advance Beijing's already sizeable influence across the resource-rich continent as Europe's presence wanes and America's wavers.

While global capitals and investors brace for the return of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to the White House, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and domestic politics keep German and French ministers occupied, Foreign Minister Wang Yi being in Namibia, the Republic of Congo, Chad and Nigeria highlights the consistency of China's engagement with Africa, analysts say.

Wang's visit through to Saturday also comes as the world's No.2 economy ramps up its financial support for the debt-laden continent and looks to strike more critical minerals deals and find markets to absorb its exports.

"The decision on which countries to go to each year rarely follows any external logic," said Eric Orlander, co-founder of the China-Global South Project. "(But) it resonates in Africa as a reminder of China's consistent commitment to the continent, in contrast to the approaches of the U.S., United Kingdom and European Union."

"China firmly believes that Africa has never been a forgotten continent, but rather a source of vitality and a land full of development potential," Guo Jiakun, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, told a regular news conference on Monday.

As China's economy slows, Africa offers a much-needed avenue for its state-owned infrastructure firms struggling for projects as indebted local governments hold off on spending, and a market for its electric vehicles and solar panels, areas where the U.S. and EU say it has over-capacity.

Africa's 50-plus votes at the United Nations could also help advance Beijing's efforts to reshape multilateral institutions and reinterpret global norms so that they are more in line with its interests, particularly on issues such as human rights.

While current U.S. President Joe Biden's December trip to Angola was his only visit to sub-Saharan Africa in his presidency, China puts Africa at the front of its diplomatic calendar.

"China has become central to Africa's policy, as an actor and an inspiration," said Hannah Ryder, founder of Development Reimagined, an African-owned consultancy, referring to how candidates vying to chair the African Union Commission have talked up Beijing's ability to improve Africa's manufacturing capabilities and China's track record in mass education ahead of February's election. The commission is the secretariat of the 55-nation African Union.

SECURITY ISSUES

Wang's decision to visit the Republic of Congo, which this year takes over as co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) that sets the agenda for China-Africa relations, also points to China's commitment to implementing the outcomes of last year's summit, Ryder said, where China pledged $51 billion in fresh financial assistance.

Beijing is also beginning to make its presence felt on pressing regional security issues, analysts say, which partly explains why Wang will travel to Chad.

France last month began the withdrawal of its military from the Central African country, after its government unexpectedly ended a defence cooperation pact that had made it a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region

"China has been a reliable and stable partner for the new military juntas in the Sahel and West Africa," Orland said.

"For the French and U.S., who see a dilution of Western power in the region, China's presence is seen as 'controversial,' but it's a very different view from African perspectives."

(Reporting by Joe Cash; Additional reporting by Ethan Wang; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)




China’s foreign minister begins Africa tour as Western influence wanes

Prashant Rao
Mon, January 6, 2025 


The News

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi began a week-long tour of African nations as Beijing seeks to bolster ties to the continent.

Africa has become essential for China as the world’s second-largest economy ramps up investment in electric vehicles and green technology, both of which require metals and minerals often found on the continent. Beijing’s bid for control of these resources has sparked a contest with the US and the EU, which have also ramped up investment in the region.

However experts believe China has the advantage, in part because it maintains relations with autocratic regimes shunned by the West. “China has become central to Africa’s policy, as an actor and an inspiration,” an expert told Reuters.

Two chloropleth maps comparing African countries’ biggest trading partners in 2002 and 2022

SIGNALS

Beijing’s concerted outreach contrasts to Washington’s scattered approachSources: ODI Global, North Africa Post, Texas National Security Review, Foreign Affairs

Since 1950, Chinese foreign ministers have prioritized Africa for their first overseas trip of the calendar year, and Wang’s visit marks the 35th consecutive annual visit. The dedication marks a stark contrast to Washington’s less consistent approach, The Moroccan North Africa Post noted, with President Joe Biden making just one visit to sub-Sarahan Africa during his tenure. “The Biden administration says that Africa is a priority, but its actions suggest otherwise,” two security experts wrote. The incoming Trump administration, meanwhile, is likely to take a “singularly transactional approach,” an Africa expert argued in Foreign Affairs, which could make it harder for Washington to compete with China over the long term.

China’s economic slowdown could affect AfricaSources: South China Morning Post, Economist Intelligence Unit, Boston University, CNN, IMF

China’s economic woes could ripple through African countries, with Beijing providing fewer loans to the continent and taking a more hardball approach in debt-restructuring negotiations. Chinese loans to Africa have decreased since 2016, US-based researchers found, and Beijing has cut funding for the kinds of massive infrastructure projects it had previously financed in Africa in favor of so-called “small yet beautiful” investments that often have an environmental focus. China is also sub-Sarahan Africa’s biggest trading partner, which means even a 1% decline in China’s growth rate could in turn reduce growth in the region by 0.25%, according to an IMF analysis.
Beijing is ramping up its military presence in AfricaSources: Reuters, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Center for Naval Analyses

Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Chad as part of his tour, where French troops began withdrawing last month; experts believe Wang is likely to discuss security issues with the country’s military leadership. “China has been a reliable and stable partner for the new military juntas in the Sahel and West Africa,” one expert told Reuters. Chinese troops have ramped up their presence in Africa in recent years, according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, noting that the People’s Liberation Army’s largest overseas deployment is on the continent. Africa has become a “testing ground” for China’s military, a US-based analyst argued, allowing Beijing to prototype building up a military presence far beyond its own borders.

Namibia Seeks Investment in Nuclear Power From China

Kaula Nhongo
Mon, January 6, 2025 



(Bloomberg) -- Namibia, one of the world’s largest uranium producers, is seeking investment from China in nuclear power to boost its role in the global push to clean energy.

“We want to add value to our uranium for the peaceful development of nuclear energy,” President Nangolo Mbumba said Monday during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on a week-long visit to Africa.

Yi’s visit reinforces China’s determination to win the geo-economic race against the US in Africa by offering better trade terms, more investment and military training. It also comes on the back of last year’s Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

In September, China General Nuclear Power Group formed a joint venture with NamWater to build a $3 billion Namibian dollar ($161 million) desalination plant that will supply water to uranium mines and surrounding areas.

Chinese companies already own Husab and Rossing in Namibia, the world’s No. 2 and No. 6 uranium mines and have invested in gold operations in the country.

The arid southwest African nation is also aiming to expand cooperation with China in emerging technologies, including smart cities, 5G, and digital platforms focused on urban security, crime prevention, and traffic management.

Namibia also wants to tap China’s growing outbound tourism market, and is seeking investment for the upgrade and construction of a new international airport.

How the US lost Africa to China over new disease control centre in Addis Ababa

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Addis Ababa was once a US-China collaboration project

Loss of US CDC-inspired facility to Chinese influence a tragic error and own goal, says analyst in Washington


Jevans Nyabiage
Published: 13 Aug, 2022

An artist’s impression of the new Africa CDC headquarters south of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia. Photo: Xinhua

Just south of Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, the US$80 million new African disease control headquarters, built and funded by China, is nearing completion amid disquiet in Washington.

Hu Changchun, China’s newly appointed head of mission to the African Union, inspected the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention construction site last month. The facility, being built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), will be completed at the end of the year.

“This flagship project between China and the AU will significantly improve the capacity for disease prevention and control in Africa,” Hu said.

The site covers an area of 90,000 square metres, with a total construction area of nearly 40,000 square metres.

When finished, the Africa CDC building will include an emergency operation centre, a data centre and a laboratory, resource, training and conference centres and briefing rooms, as well as offices and expatriate flats – all to be built, furnished and equipped by the Chinese government.

The second phase would involve the construction of the Africa CDC’s five regional collaborating centres in Egypt, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zambia.

Wu Peng, director general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s African affairs department, said the Africa CDC headquarters was “a major project of China-Africa cooperation” which would “further enhance Africa’s public health capacities and become a new portrayal of China-Africa solidarity”.

After US retreat, China breaks ground on Africa CDC headquarters project
16 Dec 2020


The Africa CDC is modelled in form and function on the US CDC and the idea emerged from the role the US played in responding to the 2015 West Africa Ebola crisis. But what started as a US-China collaboration project to help African countries fight disease turned into a power rivalry under former US president Donald Trump.

In April 2015, the US and AU signed an agreement to create the Africa CDC, where the US agreed to provide technical expertise and seconded a dozen staff members to lead and support the project. It also agreed to support fellowships at the Africa CDC for 10 African epidemiologists.

In June of that year, during a bilateral meeting, a Chinese health official said the US and China planned to work together to support the AU to build the Africa CDC. And during President Xi’s September 2015 visit to the US, the two nations agreed to cooperate with the AU in the construction of the Africa CDC.

A China-AU deal was signed in 2016, where the Chinese side agreed to provide public health expertise.

But the US-China deal was scuttled when the US government moved to cut foreign aid.

As their rivalry escalated during the Trump era, the collaboration between the two superpowers collapsed. It left room for Beijing to offer to construct the building alone, followed by an announcement in June 2020 by President Xi Jinping that “China will start ahead of schedule the construction of the Africa CDC headquarters this year”.

As they sparred over who should build the Africa CDC headquarters, the US accused China of aiming to spy on “Africa’s genomic data”, the Financial Times quoted a US official as saying in February 2020.

The Chinese foreign ministry called the reports “ridiculous”, with spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying they showed how “some people in the US always make presumptions by their own mindsets,” she said.

David Shinn, professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, and former US ambassador to Addis Ababa, said that the US-China partnership on supporting the Africa CDC came when bilateral relations were more cordial, with the US Centres for Disease Control and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation providing most of the assistance.

In 2018, as US-China relations were deteriorating, the AU and China agreed that the Chinese would build the CDC headquarters.

“Washington strongly opposed this decision but appeared to have been outmanoeuvred by China,” Shinn recalled.

Ethiopian and Chinese officials at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Africa CDC headquarters in Addis Ababa in December 2020. Photo: Xinhua

Tim Zajontz, research fellow at the Centre for International and Comparative Politics at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, said the Covid-19 pandemic had made public health another central domain for China to project its soft power.

“It came as no surprise that the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at last year’s gathering in Dakar pledged to further step up cooperation in the health sector,” Zajontz said.

He said the CDC headquarters is yet another example of Beijing’s targeted support to the AU. “[It] also shows that not only African governments but also regional organisations choose their partners very pragmatically,” said Zajontz, who is also a lecturer in international relations at the University of Freiburg, Germany.

“The geopolitical competition between China and actors like the US and the European Union, which have for a long time funded African regional organisations, has long reached the supranational level.”

US envoy to UN says Africa trip isn’t to catch up with China and Russia
4 Aug 2022


Cameron Hudson, a former US official who is now a senior associate at the CSIS Africa think tank, said: “Even though we tried to win this contract, Washington can’t compete with Chinese infrastructure construction in Africa.”

Hudson said the Africa CDC was seen as an exceptional case because an institution in Washington had already invested a great deal of time, attention, financing and even staffing.

It is also a challenge from a security perspective, because many of the staff are US government employees on loan to the African CDC.

“Having them work in a Chinese-built building, where the Chinese have a history of installing surveillance devices, as they did in the AU headquarters, calls into question whether Washington will be able to continue its close operational relationship with the institution,” Hudson said.

“Washington has been telling its African partners that they don’t have to choose between working with China and working with the US. That our engagement is not a zero-sum competition, but this will test that.”

Lawrence Gostin, director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University in Washington, pointed to how China has been funding infrastructure in Africa as part of its Belt and Road Initiative.

“It has tried to curry favour in Africa, using health infrastructure projects to push its geostrategic interests in Africa,” Gostin said.

“The US has a deep history of transformative public health engagement in Africa. Having inspired and conceptualised the Africa CDC, it was a tragic error to allow China to build its headquarters and to brag about its cooperation with Africa. For the US, it was an own goal.”

 AU CONTRAIRE 

Explainer: Why Africans won't buy the "Debt Trap" narrative against China

By Wang Zongnan, Zhao Zhiqin (Xinhua) 11:14, September 02, 2024

BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- "Debt-trap" is a term to describe an international financial relationship where a creditor country or institution extends debt to a borrowing nation with the intention of extracting economic or political concessions when the debtor country becomes unable to meet its repayment obligations.

Western media have pinned the "Debt Trap" narrative on China since an Indian think tank coined the term in 2017.

For instance, in an Associated Press article last year, reporter Bernard Condon alleged that China's "debt trap" has pushed some developing countries, for example Kenya and Zambia, to the brink of collapse. He claims the debt is largely owed to China, with high interest that is hard to repay and little willingness from China to forgive it.

However, what are the facts? Who is Africa's number one creditor? Who is the one using a "debt trap" to plunder the wealth of developing countries, and who is offering a real helping hand? The vast majority of developing countries, especially African countries, know the truth.

FALSE NARRATIVE

Many academics, professionals and think tanks have asserted that China's lending practices are not behind the debt troubles faced by borrowing nations, and that Chinese banks have been willing to restructure the terms of existing loans.

"Only about nine percent of Kenya's public debt can be attributed to China at the moment," Adhere Cavince, an international relations specialist from Kenya, told Xinhua.

The National Treasury of Kenya's debt bulletin, published in April 2024, reported that more than half (51.5 percent) of the country's external debt is owed to multilateral lenders like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In contrast, China and other bilateral lenders account for only a fifth (21.5 percent) of Kenya's bilateral debt.

A briefing paper titled "Integrating China into Multilateral Debt Relief: Progress and Problems in the G20 DSSI," published by Johns Hopkins University, found that among the 46 countries participating in the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) launched by the World Bank and the IMF, Chinese creditors accounted for 30 percent of all claims and contributed to 63 percent of debt service suspensions.

In contrast to the unfulfilled promises of debt relief by the Western world, "China has been far more generous in providing relief to allow for African countries to manage their post-COVID recovery," said Charles Onunaiju, director of the center for China studies in Nigeria.

"China's approach to debt relief has been more flexible, often involving the restructuring of loans to provide breathing space for debtor countries," said Humphrey Moshi, director of the center for Chinese studies at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. "In contrast, other creditors have been more rigid, prioritizing their financial returns over the economic recovery of African nations."

"The 'Debt Trap' narrative aims to discredit China's growing influence in Africa and to maintain Western dominance," Moshi said.

"It is neither in the interest of emerging economies nor that of China," Cavince said. "That is why, despite the hype, no African country is taking it seriously."

CHINA OFFERS HELPING HAND, NOT HANDOUTS

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the value of China's infrastructure projects, which have improved connectivity, lowered logistics costs, and provided essential healthcare facilities, said Moshi, describing China's investment in infrastructure as "groundwork for long-term sustainable development in Africa."

"Investments in education and vocational training have also empowered local populations by enhancing skills and employability, leading to sustainable economic opportunities," he added.

China, in fact, is helping developing countries to learn how to help themselves.

In Guinea-Bissau, "sometimes people walk several kilometers to find a water point," says Diamantino Lopes, a professor at Lusofona University of Guinea-Bissau. He highlighted China's support in financing boreholes and water distribution projects, which has significantly improved living conditions and public health.

China has increased its investment in Africa's energy sector tenfold in the last decade, said analyst Robert Bociaga in an article published by Nikkei Asia. What's more, these Chinese investments in energy may "potentially contribute to the energy independency of many African countries," said a study titled "The Impact of Chinese Investment on Energy Independence in Africa," published in Energy Policy this July.

"Many African countries are now looking to China to access solar panels to power villages across the continent," said Cavince, noting that Chinese products are "affordable, durable and accessible."

Cavince also emphasized China's willingness to invest in high-risk areas of Africa, a crucial factor in today's risk-prone world. China helps these regions weather the storms and build resilience in the post-pandemic era.

"In Tanzania, many infrastructure projects by other countries were halted, but Chinese-built ones continued," Moshi said, referring to the Magufuli Bridge, which has significantly reduced travel time across Lake Victoria and transformed daily life for thousands. It is "highly anticipated by residents," Moshi added.

The Magufuli Bridge is just another example of what some call a "Debt Trap," but Moshi argues otherwise. He emphasized that "China's investment is helping to build resilient communities that can withstand future economic and social challenges."

The true wealth generated by China's efforts is steadily having an impact on African countries, with more projects planned.

WEST FACES BACKLASH IN AFRICA

Moshi weighed in on the "Debt Trap" narrative, pointing out an often-overlooked African perspective: "People forget that African countries enter these agreements fully aware of the terms."

This is borne out by the facts.

"The United States and its Western allies are facing a backlash in African countries," Cavince said. "U.S. military bases are being uprooted in Africa, and unyielding American interference in the internal affairs of African countries is no longer tenable."

"The interest rates from Western lenders are higher... Countries have been stuck paying the interest, and the principal remains unpaid for a long time. What does that represent? It represents the rate of exploitation," said Chibeza Mfuni, deputy secretary general of the Zambia-China Friendship Association.

"Western aid often comes with many conditions, including austerity measures, privatization, and 'democracy promotion'," Cavince said. "This often causes civil strife."

In June, Kenya experienced mass protests and fatalities after proposed tax hikes tied to an IMF funding program. The now-defunct 2024 Finance Bill, backed by the IMF, was described by The Guardian as "the most extreme form of austerity in Kenya's history." During the protests, one placard read, "IMF, World Bank, Stop the Modern Day Slavery," as reported by Al Jazeera.

China, on the other hand, has been offering African countries funds with no political strings attached, Cavince said.

As a fellow Global South nation, China shares perspectives with African countries.

Cavince noted that China's aid responds to recipient countries' requests, unlike Western aid measures, "which often have already set areas where poor countries must request support."

Explainer: Why it is absurd to accuse China of practising "neocolonialism" in Africa

By Chen Wangqi (Xinhua) 14:18, September 02, 2024

BEIJING, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- As cooperation between China and African countries deepens and their ties grow closer, some Western nations have been hyping up the notion of "neocolonialism" regarding China's increasing presence on the continent.

By accusing China of fostering African dependence through massive investments and prioritizing Chinese interests over local needs, the West is seeking to sow discord in China-Africa relations and undermine their cooperation, all in an effort to protect the vested interests of a few Western countries in Africa, experts have said.

This raises important questions: Is China's cooperation with Africa truly neocolonialism? How does the China-Africa relationship differ from the West's ties with Africa? And why is the West so committed to advancing the narrative of Chinese neocolonialism?

EMPOWERMENT INSTEAD OF EXPLOITATION

Improved transportation networks, better access to healthcare, increased employment opportunities ... the benefits of Chinese investments are tangible to many Africans in their daily lives, said Humphrey Moshi, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

"The infrastructure projects funded by Chinese loans and investments have been transformative," Moshi told Xinhua, noting that China has expanded access to opportunities and resources across Africa.

He pointed out that China-built roads, railways, and ports have slashed transportation costs and opened up isolated regions to national and international markets, helping Africa to trade itself out of poverty while facilitating industrialization.

These infrastructure projects have also created thousands of jobs for local communities, not only during construction but also in the long-term operation and maintenance of these facilities, Moshi said.

Charles Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies in Nigeria, said that the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation alone has trained hundreds of young local people in critical sectors such as railway engineering and other technical fields.

Africans are working as senior- and mid-level employees, he added, noting that these are very crucial additions in building capacity in Africa, a critical challenge for the continent.

Meanwhile, Chinese investments in constructing hospitals and schools, coupled with the provision of medical equipment and educational materials, have improved access to essential services and overall well-being, laying "the groundwork for sustainable economic and social progress," Moshi said.

However, at the same time, frequent U.S. sanctions on African countries cost poor workers in developing countries, usually women, their jobs when factories are shut down because they can no longer access the U.S. market, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) noted.

"Are those workers exploited? Unquestionably yes," the CSIS said.

Unlike the West, both China and Africa were victims of Western colonization and can thus easily understand each other's plight, said Adhere Cavince, a Kenya-based international relations scholar.

Onunaiju said China seeks to be an active partner amid global challenges due to its broad outlook on shared global prosperity. "The condition for neo-colonialism does not exist in China's political system."

CUSTOMIZATION INSTEAD OF CONTROL

"Western countries often prioritize the promotion of their values and systems" while China's aid is often tailored to the needs of the recipient countries, Moshi told Xinhua.

China's aid targets areas where Africa lags behind the rest of the world, including infrastructure development, trade facilitation, and investments aimed at long-term economic growth, he said.

Similarly, Cavince noted that China mainly helps to construct infrastructure and alleviate poverty through agriculture projects and energy grids.

As Africa's largest partner in the green energy transition, China provides African consumers with "affordable, durable and accessible" green products, without imposing conditions, he said.

In contrast, Western aid is often tied to political and economic conditions such as austerity measures, privatization, and "democracy promotion," which often cause civil strife, Cavince further said.

The CSIS pointed out that "in other words, the West is still trying to civilize the former colonies by getting them to do things we (Western countries) think are good for them."

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni also slammed in August 2023 that many of the loans and aid packages from Western countries "are either of no value addition to the country or are even anti-growth, all together" in a speech following the World Bank's decision to halt financing to Uganda.

Loans and aid packages from the West had brought a lot of distortion and stunted Uganda's growth as well as the entire continent, said Museveni, blaming Africa's "miserable" economic performance on the Western world, which looked at Africa only as producers of raw materials.

"The history of Western aid in Africa has played absolutely no role in lifting Africa (out of poverty)," said Onunaiju. "That is why ... we do not want Western aid anymore."

"We want more investment. We want more trade," he said.

SHIFTING PUBLIC OPINION

China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for a 15th consecutive year, with a trade volume of 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, a joint report by the Office of the Leading Group for Promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other authorities revealed on Thursday.

As of the end of 2023, China's direct investment stock in Africa had exceeded 40 billion dollars, said an official with the NDRC, adding that China-Africa trade and investment is expected to maintain steady growth this year, demonstrating the strong vitality and resilience of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

China's growing engagement with Africa unsettles some nations in the West. They hence use narratives like "neocolonialism" and "debt trap" as geopolitical tools to smear China and weaken the effectiveness of its development partnerships with developing countries, Cavince said, adding that such hype is not in the interest of emerging economies.

China's contributions to infrastructure development, healthcare, and education in African countries are visible and tangible in the daily lives of local people. These contributions significantly boost the growing approval of China across the continent, noted Moshi.

In addition, China's approach to aid and investment, which emphasizes respect for the sovereignty of African nations, is appreciated by many Africans, he said.

On the contrary, the U.S. promotion of its ideology and strategic interests, and the lack of consistent engagement with or tangible benefits for Africa all led to the decline in African approval of the United States, the expert concluded.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)

IMPERIALI$M

CHINA/AFRICA

Together despite US narrative

By STEPHEN NDEGWA | China Daily Global | Updated: 2025-01-17 

SHI YU/CHINA DAILY

The China-Africa partnership's success will depend on its ability to transcend external interference and deliver concrete results that improve the lives of millions

As Donald Trump is to assume his second term in office on Jan 20, the global geopolitical landscape is increasingly being defined by great power competition. Africa has become a significant arena for this rivalry, particularly in the contest between the United States and China. Central to this dynamic is the enduring partnership between China and Africa — a relationship that has weathered sustained external criticism and pressure, particularly during Trump's first term. Moving forward, both China and Africa must navigate an intensified environment of competition, leveraging their shared history, comprehensive strategies and mutual benefits to strengthen their partnership and achieve common goals.

Trump's first term brought a mercantilist approach to US foreign policy, marked by sporadic engagement with Africa. His administration frequently cast China's presence on the continent in a negative light, advancing narratives of "debt-trap" diplomacy and alleged exploitation of African resources. These claims were amplified by Western media and policy circles, portraying Chinese investments as predatory rather than constructive.

However, these critiques ignore the substantial benefits that Chinese partnerships have brought to Africa. Unlike Western aid, which is often tied to conditional strings regarding governance or political reforms, China's model emphasizes respect for sovereignty and aligns with Africa's own development priorities.

Far from the "debt trap" claims, Chinese loans and investments have helped address Africa's longstanding infrastructure deficits. Projects such as Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway, Ethiopia's industrial parks and Nigeria's hydropower facilities have created vital economic lifelines. Studies by organizations such as the Jubilee Debt Campaign have debunked the idea that Chinese loans dominate African debt burdens. In most cases, African debt crises stem from Eurobond markets and domestic financial mismanagement rather than Chinese financing. Furthermore, China has shown flexibility, restructuring or forgiving loans when needed, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic when it provided debt relief to several African nations.

Washington is likely to ramp up its efforts to frame Chinese influence as a challenge to Western values and African sovereignty. For African nations, this competition presents risks of polarization and external interference. Yet, it also offers an opportunity to leverage the rivalry for greater investments and favorable terms. The key lies in maintaining agency, ensuring that partnerships with either power align with Africa's long-term development goals.

China's ability to sustain its strong ties with Africa will depend on its continued focus on initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. These frameworks address Africa's most pressing challenges, such as poverty eradication, peace and security, and cultural exchanges. The Global Development Initiative, for example, complements Africa's Agenda 2063 by prioritizing industrialization, food security and poverty reduction. The Global Security Initiative's focus on peacebuilding is particularly relevant in conflict-prone regions such as the Sahel region and the Horn of Africa, while the Global Civilization Initiative fosters deeper people-to-people connections, reinforcing the cultural and diplomatic foundations of partnerships.

The accusation of Chinese "debt traps" is not the only myth that needs debunking. Critics have also painted China as an economic colonizer, a narrative that fails to recognize the transformative impact of Chinese investments on local economies. For example, Chinese-funded infrastructure projects often involve significant local labor and capacity-building components, creating jobs and transferring skills to African workers. Initiatives such as the Luban Workshop, a project named after an ancient Chinese master craftsman that provides vocational skills training for African youth, exemplify China's commitment to empowering local communities.

This non-prescriptive approach to development resonates deeply with African leaders. Unlike Western models, which frequently impose governance reforms or ideological frameworks, China respects the sovereignty of its African partners. This respect is not synonymous with indifference, however. African leaders have highlighted their ability to negotiate terms that meet their national priorities, ensuring that the benefits of partnership are mutually shared. For example, Ethiopia has leveraged Chinese investments to develop industrial parks that align with its manufacturing-led development strategy, while Rwanda has utilized Chinese technology to enhance its e-governance systems.

At the same time, Africa has much to gain by replicating aspects of China's development trajectory. Over the past four decades, China has lifted over 800 million people out of abject poverty through a strategic focus on infrastructure, education and agricultural modernization. These experiences offer valuable insights for African countries seeking to address poverty, inequality and underdevelopment. Adapting these strategies to local contexts can help African nations accelerate their progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Beyond infrastructure and economic development, China and Africa must collaborate on emerging challenges such as climate change, digital transformation and public health. Africa's vulnerability to climate change necessitates investments in renewable energy and sustainable agriculture — areas where China has significant expertise. Similarly, bridging the digital divide through investments in information and communications technology infrastructure can position Africa as a competitive player in the global digital economy. The COVID-19 pandemic also underscored the importance of health cooperation. China's support for vaccine distribution and the establishment of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the potential for deeper collaboration in strengthening healthcare systems.

Trump's second term poses a test for the resilience of China-Africa relations. The intensified geopolitical rivalry will require both partners to navigate external pressures while staying focused on their shared objectives. African nations must resist being drawn into binary alignments, leveraging their partnerships with China and the US to secure the best outcomes for their people. For China, the focus must continue to remain on delivering tangible benefits, addressing misconceptions, and deepening its commitment to mutual respect and shared prosperity.

The China-Africa partnership has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of challenges. Its foundation lies in the principles of mutual benefit, respect for sovereignty and a shared vision for development. By building on these principles, addressing emerging challenges and remaining adaptable to changing global dynamics, China and Africa can continue to strengthen their partnership, setting an example of constructive engagement in an increasingly polarized world.

In the coming years, the partnership's success will depend on its ability to transcend external narratives and deliver concrete results that improve the lives of millions. It is a strategic alliance rooted in shared aspirations and a commitment to a more equitable global order. As great power competition reshapes the international landscape, China and Africa have the opportunity to demonstrate that cooperation, not confrontation, is the path to a brighter future. By doing so, they can not only navigate the complexities of Trump's second term but also lay the groundwork for a new era of global collaboration.

The author is executive director of South-South Dialogues, a Nairobi-based communications development think tank. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.