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A massive investment plan (around $60
billion) and the cancellation of debts of poorer countries are the two essential points of the strategy with which Beijng is heading for the conquest of Africa, a land rich in resources and opportunities albeit marked by poverty, war and misery. The plan was unveiled yesterday by President Xi Jinping to African leaders gathered in Beijing for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, a meeting held every three years which has the aim of strengthening China”s interests in Africa.
In recent years, China has become Africa”s
leading partner. The $60 billion will be used to finance eight initiatives over the next three years, in various sectors, including industrial promotion, construction of infrastructure and scholarships to the best Chinese Universities for young Africans. In other words, a strategy of alliance and global development linked to the wider economic and infrastructure project of the “new silk road”, the flagship of President Xi.
“We will fully honour the promises we have
made to our African brothers”, Xi told African leaders, among them South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of
Djibouti, which is home to the first Chinese naval base abroad. Pointing out that the China-Africa community has a “shared future” with “no attachment of political strings”, Xi called for joint responsibility and a cooperation of mutual benefit between China and Africa, saying he was against “protectionism and unilateralism”.
