Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (right) meets with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (left) during his visit to Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on January 10, 2023. Qin is the newly appointed Chinese foreign minister who is paying his first foreign visit in this capacity. This also marks the 33rd consecutive year that Africa has been the destination of Chinese foreign ministers' annual first overseas trip. Photo: AFP
Xinhua: Chinese FM to visit African countries, AU Headquarters, Arab League Headquarters
BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will visit Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Benin, Egypt, the African Union Headquarters and the League of Arab States Headquarters upon invitation from Jan. 9 to 16, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced here on Monday.
Noting this is the 33rd consecutive year that Africa has been the destination of Chinese foreign ministers' annual first overseas visit, Wang said that this visit aims to deepen the China-Africa comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership and boost friendly cooperation between China and Africa.
Read more ....
Update #1: New Chinese foreign minister heads to Africa for first trip (Al Jazeera)
Update #2: Chinese Top Diplomat Arrives in Africa to Strengthen Cooperation (VOA)
WNU editor: So much for my prediction the day before that Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang's first trip abroad will be to Russia.
7 comments:
So you were wrong. In this case I think the biases of the reader(s) strongly come into play. In hindsight it seems obvious. China can juggle two balls. Economics has always been important to the CCP since the 1980s. People do not realize how much railroad the Chinese have built in Africa before 2000.
"Leaders from 29 Asian and African nations met in the hopes of working together in the wake of Western colonialism. From that international solidarity came the Tazara Railway, which opened in 1975."
My first thought was Biden's Ball, which was reminiscent of Obama's Monster ball. More photo op than substance.
Biden tells leaders US 'all in' on Africa's future
Blinken seems MIA. Does Blinken know how to work? He knows the patronage system, but that is not quite the same as working. Between the Obama administration and the Biden Administration Blinken was stashed for one year as director of the at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. Seems as though the director's job was rotated on a yearly basis among Biden's entourage or courtiers.
What is the purpose of the center other than a way to collect a paycheck in between administration gigs? What is it s work product and is that product worthwhile? the center is sort of like a bull pen to keep players warmed up in between innings.
it has been noted the number of people that go form administration jobs to media jobs. It is a revolving door. Sort of like guaranteed income but for rich people. Which begs the question. If they are guaranteed income, why do they still steal?
AGOA: The U.S.-Africa Trade Program
that program was the last one I remember having a long term win/win impact or purpose. Other than news from Africa is about combatting terrorism, diseases (ebola), insurgencies. and famine. Now that i wrote the previous statement, I think the thought can be crystalized.
News about Africa as reported by the US media and government is general about the 4 Horsemen. I think Jesse Jackson would have better engagement with Africa than Blinken or others. Just Africa not the res to the world. I do not think highly of Mr. Jackson, but I believe he would care more, but he could do a better job.
Since then, Chinese investment in Africa has exploded from about USD $75 million dollars in 2003, to roughly USD $2.7 billion in 2019. Now, more than 30% of China’s investment in Africa is in the construction sector.
“China has become the most important source of development finance in Africa,'' Professor Carrai said. “In the past, we talked about railroad imperialism. But now nobody is really investing as much as China in this kind of railroad connectivity.”
https://www.theb1m.com/video/why-china-is-building-africas-railways
Good comment @ 6:40 thank you.
to be more precise: China uses money, ie soft power. The US builds basis--we have outfits in Africa. When nations can not repay money owed to China, they become owners.
Instead of dumping a load on this or that one from a party you dislike--ask what Trump did in Africa--tell us what we SHOULD do.
6:40 AM
now address the Trump clan and how they got super-wealthy through jobs for the Big Guy
By the end of the century, Africa will be home to 40% of the world’s population – and nowhere is this breakneck-pace development happening faster than this 600-mile stretch between Abidjan and Lagos
When you cannot pay your mortgage, the bank gets the house. So what is the problem? China should just lose their money?
Also, rail is the cheapest overland mode of transportation, unless you have navigable river or canal. So building a rail system to make trnasportation makes sense. You connect the interior of Africa with the rest of the world and encourage economic growth.
How else could you have built a railway and have it solvent? That may well be possible.
So you would have to look at alternative project implementation. You would have to do a cost accounting of the actual project to see if there was featherbedding or goldbricking.
You have to look into bribery. There probably was. I also thing it is or could be a non- issue. Where isn't there bribery? The index on corruption I think give Europe and the rest of the West too much credit. There is more than a person might think. I think corruption matter (is material), when a better or more profitable project was not chosen due to bribes.
Where was Halliburton/KBR? Could they have built a better, cheaper railroad? Did they ever approach any of these African nations for such a project?
I would like to see the cost benefit analysis. They alluded to it in the article. Has something changed?
One reason for lack of profitability might be govt corruption govt regs and war. If you are waging a war like Ethiopia, you probably have economic development as #2. So maybe the problem is the Addis Ababa. The current president of Ethiopia is a real disappointment.
If or when manufacturing leaves China due to a new Cold War etc or to diversify the supply chain to make it more resilient. I am of the opinion for what it is worth that good plan to build new factories would be the Phillipines and Africa. If there was a concerted effort, those rail lines would be profitable overnight.
China and Brazil have laws, where a foreign entity can only own 49% of a subsidiary in their country. African nations should replicate this. Of course the elite would get first dibs on those subsidiaries due to connection and also because they actual have a portion of the money needed. But unless they go Russian oligarch in owning businesses wealth should spread out to more people.
I find the English language newspapers form Ethiopia and Nigeria as vibrant. There is a middle class there waiting to grow larger. The biggest problem for Nigeria is Islam. the second one is ethnic rivalry. tribes along the coast get screwed, when federal revenue is shared or doled out.
Liberals were so appalled by the move "No Escape" starring Owen Wilson. They mau-mau that it is retrograde. a few exhibits are in order. First the atrocities of the Katanga Rebellion. That is 50 years old. Second, many Americans in various cities were upset, when a German company bought the local water companies. Third, the people running for their life because the locals are upset with poverty, corruption and foreign ownership might be Chinese nationals in Africa. Those liberals never considered that. "No Escape" might still be right on the money.
Brazil has one more stipulation for foreign subsidiaries. foreigners can come in and and set up shop, but afterwards they set it set up in 5 or 10 years the foreigners have to train foreign replacements. The profits I assume are split 51/49.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Escape_(2015_film)
Post a Comment