China rolls out the red carpet for African leaders

AFP | Baijing

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China yesterday rolled out the red carpet for leaders from across Africa, seeking to deepen ties with the resource-rich continent it has furnished with billions in loans for infrastructure and development.

Beijing has said this week’s China-Africa forum will be its largest diplomatic event since the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than a dozen leaders and delegations expected.

China has sent hundreds of thousands of workers to Africa to build its megaprojects while tapping the continent’s vast natural resources including copper, gold, lithium and rare earth minerals.

Its vast loans to the continent have funded infrastructure but also stoked controversy by saddling countries with huge debts.

China, the world’s number two economy, is Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting $167.8 billion in the first half of this year, according to Chinese state media.

Security is tight across Beijing, with roads and bus stops bedecked with banners declaring China and the continent are “joining hands for a brighter future”.

Among the leaders in the capital is South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who arrived early Monday for a four-day visit during which he will also visit the southern tech powerhouse city of Shenzhen.

Trade between China and South Africa soared to $38.8 billion in 2023, according to the South African presidency