ZCZC
BCN-14
CHINA-AFRICA-SUMMIT-TRADE
China hosts African leaders amid aid criticism
BEIJING, Sept 3, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – China hosts African leaders Monday for a
summit aimed at promoting Beijing’s vision for development on the continent,
even as it finds itself increasingly criticised over its debt-heavy approach
to foreign aid.
President Xi Jinping and leaders from across the continent will hold the
two-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), with talks expected to
focus on Xi’s cherished “Belt and Road” infrastructure programme.
The massive scheme is aimed at improving Chinese access to foreign markets
and resources, and boosting Beijing’s influence abroad.
It has already seen China loan billions of dollars to countries in Asia
and Africa for roads, railways, ports and other major building projects.
But critics warn that Xi’s pet project is burying some countries under
massive debt.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his African counterparts Sunday that
Xi will use the summit as an opportunity to outline a “specific vision on
building a China-Africa community with a shared future, and announce
proposals and measures… to strengthen China-Africa cooperation”.
For his part, South African Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said FOCAC
must strengthen efforts to face emerging global challenges such as “the
rising nationalistic ethos, populism, unilateralism, protectionism and the
emergence of global trade wars”.
– War crimes –
At the last three-yearly gathering in Johannesburg in 2015, Xi announced
$60 billion of assistance and loans for Africa.
Nations across Africa are hoping that China’s enthusiasm for
infrastructure investment will help promote industrialisation in their
countries.
Xi spent the weekend in one-on-one meetings with leaders from the
continent who arrived early for some face time with the head of the world’s
second-largest economy.
MORE/HR/1140
ZCZC
BCN-15
CHINA-AFRICA-SUMMIT-TRADE 2 LAST BEIJING
The guests include the presidents of countries ranging from Egypt to
Senegal and South Africa, and controversial leaders such as Sudan’s Omar al-
Bashir.
Bashir is wanted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court on
charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide related to the
war in Darfur. He denies the charges.
Nevertheless, Bashir received a warm greeting from Xi, who told him he
“welcomes Sudan’s participation in the Belt and Road” and “opposes foreign
interference in Sudan’s internal affairs”, the official Xinhua news service
reported Sunday.
China has provided aid to Africa since the Cold War, but Beijing’s
presence in the region has grown exponentially with its emergence as a global
trading power.
Chinese state-owned companies have aggressively pursued large investments
in Africa, whose vast resources have helped fuel China’s transformation into
an economic powerhouse.
While relations between China and African nations are broadly positive,
concerns have intensified about the impact of some of China’s deals in the
region.
Djibouti has become heavily dependent on Chinese financing after China
opened its first overseas military base in the Horn of Africa country last
year, a powerful signal of the continent’s strategic importance to Beijing.
Locals in other countries have complained about the practice of using
Chinese labour for building projects and what are perceived as sweetheart
deals for Chinese companies.
The concerns are likely to grow as countries in other parts of the world –
– especially Southeast Asia — begin to question whether Chinese aid comes at
too high a price, prompting Malaysia, for instance, to cancel a $20-billion
rail project last month.
BSS/AFP/HR/1142