The top US military commander in charge of US troops in Africa is worried about China’s growing presence on the continent, he suggested in remarks in a congressional hearing on Tuesday.
Marine General Thomas Waldhauser said in his remarks to lawmakers that China could theoretically cut off supplies to a US base in the northeast African nation of Djibouti, if they “took” the port there.
“If the Chinese took over that port, then the consequences could be significant,” Waldhauser was quoted by Reuters as saying during the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing.
“There are some indications of [China] looking for additional facilities, specifically on the eastern coast … So Djibouti happens to be the first – there will be more,” Waldhauser said.
In response, China’s Foreign Ministry rejected the notion that Beijing would aim to exclude a third party from access to the port.
“We hope that the US side can objectively and fairly view China’s development and China-Africa cooperation,” ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing.
Tillerson criticizes China’s Africa investments
Speaking at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson previewed his upcoming visit to Africa, while comparing America’s and China’s approaches to relations with African countries.
“The United States pursues, develops sustainable growth that bolsters institutions, strengthens rule of law, and builds the capacity of African countries to stand on their own two feet,” Tillerson said.
He added that the US model “stands in stark contrast to China’s approach, which encourages dependency using opaque contracts, predatory loan practices, and corrupt deals that mire nations in debt and undercut their sovereignty, denying them their long-term, self-sustaining growth.”
The top US diplomat said he would be visiting five nations on an upcoming trip to Africa, namely Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Chad and Nigeria.
Djibouti, he said, is “a very critical trading route for the world’s economy and a critical partner in securing that trading route.”
USA is a powerful country so they create more jobs all over the world
Frederick Bonilla Melgar
Only an idiot will beleieve this: "The United States pursues, develops sustainable growth that bolsters institutions, strengthens rule of law, and builds the capacity of African countries to stand on their own two feet,” Tillerson said.
you dont know chinese as country and as a people how they grab teritorries and manipulate people espcially if you have loans to that country..they are the worst .. no respect to human rights..
Better late than never! China is trying to emulate US and the West in its attempts to COLONIZE small countrues of the world, especially countries that are strategically located, like Malaysia and Djibouti, both respectively control the mouths of the Red Sea and the Malacca Straits/South China Sea.
So now China has ONLYONE military base, at Djibouti. But as time goes, China will try to establish more bases around the world, who knows next time in Kenya, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines, Algeria, Angola, Jamaiza, Cuba, Venezuela, Vanuatu, Tonga, Fiji, Guatemala etc. The US started that way too, with just ONE base, now US has dozens of bases around the world. China is learning fast from the US.
Hiding behind "economic aid", China is setting debt traps to trap small countries. Modus operandi is to provide loans to these countries. When these countries cannot pay back the loans, China will force them to surrender their soveriegnty and independence to China, taking over their ports, airport, land parcesl, cities, EEZ block, islands etc. China is a loan shark, this is its modeus operandi to colonize the small countries. It’s already happening in Sri Lanka and Pakistan where both countries have to lease the ports of Hambantota and Gwadar, respectively to China, for periods of 99 and 40 years, unabale to pay loan given to them by China in this so-called "economic aid"..
China is indeed a loan shark, a predator, a colonialist wannabe, a hegemon wannabe. It’s an "along" (loan shark) country.
Having said all these, it does not mean the US is any better; all these superpowers (China included) think because they are big and powerful and have nukes, they could go around and colonize other countries in way or another.
Venugopal Gopalsamy u should be happy and it’s a happiest moment for India when Pakistan become the part of China . then why u r afraid u should be happy . its means something wrong behind ur afraid because when Pakistan become economically strong it’s become tough task for India not for China. And if China want to become to occupied the Pakistan then it should be occupied to Russia then Pakistan. Because Chinese investment in much more in Russia then Pakistan.
Rajen Chetri very true
One day Pakistan will be made a province of China.beware
Dags Kipling yes fake goods makers.
Strategy in all fronts is the name of the game among great economies even if it will mean robbing territories of small and weak countries like what China is doing against the Philippines.
Khalid Mehmood, you would lose that bet subhuman. Anyway, you would not be interested, because she is older than 12. Stick with the nine year olds, like your prophet… Weird, how you lames have no real profiles. Are you on the run from authorities? Probably some pathetic bomber; killing in the name of pedophilia.
Jose Miranda The fact that you have used such derogatory term to describe the Chinese shows you are a racists and a white supremacist. There are mountains of historical evidence of US hypocrisy that had caused chaos all over the world and loss of millions of innocent lives. So along as any Government serves US interests, and act as their puppets, such governments will be in the good books of US, however despotic they may be. US is also directly or indirectly responsible for having created terrorist groups such as Al Queda and ISIS. Don’t be so blind
Because a U.S. bully is so much better than disgusting cheenie influence. Can you even imagine the cheenies with even 1/4 the military power and influence of the west…..shiver
Jay Foust husband of philpino whore… I bet I can take you wife from you by paying her few bucks extra
And now you’re complaining, USA???? You’ve been influencing Africa & the world for centuries, and did nothing economically but wars! Suck it now USA!!!
The best thing American can do now in Africa is to send troops in the name of protection of democracy. What a God sent from heaven to save the people of Africa though hundred years they had been treated as slaves ! ????
The world should not be afraid of China, misprojected by US propaganda in pursuing its own geopolitical agenda of global control.
Since the end of the cold war, which the US nevertheless does not concede, it has relentlessly pushed its malevolent propaganda against China and Russia as being evil communust countries.
Look at the colonies under West’s sway. All simply "banana" republics with currency " not worth" the paper it is printed on!
Here you hear USA preaching their better brand of "Western" way of aid to impoverished nations. Forgetting their predicament is the "curse" of the West they are shouldering now!
Rasko Nakovski
What part of history do they teach now? It was called the slave trade. Not the slave war. When 1 african tribe conquered another tribe. The losing tribe was enslaved by the winning side. For that matter look at the history of every country in the world. You would be hard pressed to find any country which didnt enslave the losers. If im not mistaken, it was some asain countries which were last to let that practice go. All the slave traders did was traded spices and such for conquered slaves. Shipped them off to the usa. And resold them for a profit. Mind you most the traders were europeans and not from the usa. Amazing the things which get removed from history books now days. Do some research on the slave trade triangle. You might learn something about how not to be racist through ignorance. As far as china goes. Look at the end result of every poor country which has taken those loans already in africa and south america. Dead countries floating. And for a country which was in favor of other countries defaulting on us debts. China sure is adament that no country will default on theirs. Even debt restructuring is a no go with china. Your resources are your collateral.
In history,if you were to study, would show that the African slaves were slaves by their own people and sold to foreigners for big money. .read about it