This archive report was first published on 4 January 2022.
January 4, 2022, marked the beginning of Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi's tour of Eritrea, Kenya, and the Comoros, a tradition that has been ongoing for 32 years. This annual visit is a testament to China's commitment to its traditional friendship with Africa and the development of China-Africa relations.
Kenya, the largest country in East Africa, is a significant partner for China, with the two nations cooperating in various areas, including infrastructure development and trade. Eritrea, which gained independence in April 1993, has a rich history and is one of the continent's newest nations. The Comoros, located off East Africa's coast, is a lesser-known but promising tourist destination.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced Wang Yi's visit on December 2, 2021, stating that it demonstrates China's great importance to its traditional friendship with Africa and the development of China-Africa relations.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, China has continued to prioritize its relations with Africa, with Wang Yi making a five-nation African tour in 2021 to discuss COVID-19 vaccines, economic development, and infrastructure, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held in November 2021 in Dakar, Senegal, marking a new milestone in China-Africa relations. Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined four proposals for revamping the partnership, and nine FOCAC programs were announced.
China has made significant investments in Africa, including signing inter-government science and technology cooperation agreements with 16 African countries and launching science and technology cooperation mechanisms. The country has also developed joint research platforms with many African countries in areas such as agriculture, light industry, and new energy.
Technical training courses have provided opportunities for nearly 2,000 technicians and government officials from 47 African countries to receive training in China. Additionally, China has conducted over 30 science and technology assistance programs in Africa, contributing to the continent's technological progress and industrial development.
The BRI has become a game-changer for Africa, ushering in a new era of trade and infrastructure development and providing billions of dollars in funding for critical development projects. This has created multiplier effects across many sectors of the respective economies and improved continental interconnectivity.
As China and Africa celebrate the 65th anniversary of the start of diplomatic relations, it is clear that Sino-Africa relations have borne many positive outcomes for the continent, unlocking its potential. The so-called debt trap that China allegedly laid for Africa has been discredited and debunked, and it is essential to recognize the benefits of this partnership.
Stephen Ndegwa, a Nairobi-based communication expert and international affairs columnist, notes that Africa's partnership with China is paying off, with the two nations deepening their old civilizational ties in infrastructure, trade, finance, policy consultations, and people-to-people exchanges.
