On Monday, China welcomed leaders from across Africa, aiming to strengthen its connections with the resource-rich continent that has received substantial loans for infrastructure and development.
Beijing has emphasised that this week’s China-Africa forum will be its most significant diplomatic gathering since the COVID-19 pandemic. Over a dozen leaders and delegations are anticipated to attend.
China has dispatched hundreds of thousands of workers to Africa for large-scale projects, leveraging the continent’s extensive natural resources, such as copper, gold, lithium, and rare earth minerals.
China’s substantial loans to African nations have supported infrastructure projects but have also sparked controversy by burdening countries with significant debts.
Chinese state media reported that China, the world’s second-largest economy, is Africa’s primary trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $167.8 billion in the first half of this year.
Stringent security measures are in place across Beijing, with banners adorning roads and bus stops proclaiming that China and Africa are “collaborating for a brighter future.”
Among the visiting leaders in Beijing is South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who arrived early Monday for a four-day visit and is scheduled also to visit the technology powerhouse city of Shenzhen.
According to the South African presidency, trade between both countries surged to $38.8 billion in 2023.
As his office stated, Ramaphosa is anticipated to participate in a welcoming ceremony on Monday at Beijing’s elaborate Great Hall of People and lay a wreath “in honour of Chinese revolutionaries” in Tiananmen Square.
As state news agency Xinhua reported, President Xi Jinping held discussions with Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi on Monday.
China has a substantial presence in the DRC and is eager to access extensive natural resources, including copper, gold, lithium, and rare earth minerals.
Leaders from Djibouti, home to China’s first overseas military base, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, and other nations also arrived in Beijing on Sunday and Monday.
Research from the Chinese Loans to Africa Database revealed that Beijing’s loans to African nations reached their highest level in five years last year. The leading borrowers were Angola, Ethiopia, Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya. Nonetheless, the data showed that loans were significantly lower than the peak in 2016, totalling nearly $30 billion.
Furthermore, researchers highlighted that the loans were increasingly channelled through local banks, which helped mitigate “exposing Chinese creditors to credit risks associated with those countries.”
Analysts argue that China’s economic slowdown has made Beijing increasingly hesitant to provide substantial funds. This week’s summit occurs as African leaders observe the escalating competition between the US and China for resources and influence on the continent.
In 2022, the White House accused China of seeking to “advance its own narrow commercial and geopolitical interests (and) undermine transparency and openness.”