Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters in Beijing on Friday that his government will strengthen investment in Africa, financial support and diplomatic outreach.
“The stability and development of Africa is important to the shared fate of humanity. Wang said at a press conference at China's annual “two-session” political event, the National People's Assembly Dual Conference and the People's Political Council meeting:
“Africa is experiencing a new awakening, and all countries should support Africa in creating new paths for development of independence and self-reinforcement,” he said.
To this end, Wang said that China will help African countries “speed up the process of industrialization and modernization in agriculture” and that it will develop cutting-edge technologies such as “digitalization, the green sector, and artificial intelligence.”
“Africa is the land of hope for the 21st century,” the king said. “Without modernisation in Africa, there is no way modernisation in the world.”
Lauren Johnston, associate professor of Chinese studies at the University of Sydney; I wrote it In conversations on Thursday, China said African suppliers may want to make up for the halt of US agricultural exports during a new trade war with the US. China was able to use African business connections as well to blunt some of the pain from Trump's tariffs during his first term.
Johnston said it had begun a well-known effort to promote Africa's trade growth within a month of China's return to the White House. African countries are “responding to new opportunities from China,” but most of these responses have been iconic up until now, including opening Chinese trade offices and participating in the Technology Expo.
semafor spoke On Monday, to a flock of Chinese and African analysts, Beijing said that it is very unlikely to replace the US Agency for International Development (USAID) program. shutter By Trump.
“The idea that the demolition of USAIDs would open wide open doors in China in Africa is a misdirection. They cannot “exchange” USAIDs because they don't give assistance in that way.
Another analyst, Signal Risk Lonak Gopaludas, said “Trump's first approach creates geopolitical opportunities for China to infiltrate leadership voids in Africa,” but agreed that China will not provide as much foreign aid as the United States does.
In fact, as Semafor pointed out, China's preference for large-scale loans and profitable investments is essentially “trading,” which isn't much different from what Trump's first American strategy envisions.
“If the Trump administration shifts to a trading approach that China prioritizes in the global South, it could increase the US effectiveness in competition with China in Africa,” the Brookings Agency likewise Recommended.
The sentiment of various African leaders towards Trump could have an impact on continental chess matches between the US and China. During the cards address In the process of listing some of the useless and absurd government programs he has been shutting down in Congress on Tuesday, Trump said. joke About Lesotho is a country that “no one has ever heard of.”
BBC explained The Lesotho government was “shocked” for Trump, who was “shocked” after years of “warm and heartfelt” relationship with the United States.
“To my surprise, a country no one has ever heard of is a country where the United States has a permanent mission,” Lesotho's Foreign Minister Lejo Mpotojoan responded ironically.
“Lesotho is a member of the United Nations and many other international organizations. And there is an embassy here in the US, and there are many US organizations that we have housed here in Masel,” Mpotjoane said. Masel is the capital of Lesotho.
Mpotjoane said his government “doesn't underestimate the issue” and would make an official protest against Washington.
“Lesotho is a very important and unique country in the whole world. I am happy to invite the President and the rest of the world to come to Lesotho,” he said. I said In an interview with Reuters.
Lesotho officials were not particularly interested in criticizing Trump for shutting down USAID funds for Lesotho's LGBTQ organization.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) It's attracting attention The United States has given considerable assistance to Lesotho for health and crop production, including other support for HIV/AIDS, the disease that Lesotho has one of the highest infection rates in the world.
The danger of our diplomatic efforts in Africa is that we may feel that other countries may be treated rudely even after maintaining good relations.
