Amid growing criticism over its debt-heavy approach to foreign aid, China is hosting a summit for African leaders on Monday aimed at promoting Beijing’s vision for development on the continent.
President Xi Jinping and Africa’s leaders will participate in the two-day Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which is expected to focus on Xi’s “Belt and Road” infrastructure programme, AFP reported.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his African counterparts in Beijing on Sunday that Xi sees the summit as a chance to explain his “specific vision on building a China-Africa community with a shared future, and announce proposals and measures… to strengthen China-Africa cooperation.”
The ambitious scheme is aimed at giving China greater access to overseas markets and resources, as well as increasing Beijing’s global influence.
Through the scheme, China has lent billions of dollars to countries in Asia and Africa for roads, railways, ports and other major construction projects. However, critics say Xi’s project is burying some countries under mountains of debt.
Beijing’s relations with African nations has been generally positive, but the impact of some of China’s deals in the region has raised concerns. Countries in other regions, especially Southeast Asia, are starting to question whether Beijing’s assistance comes at too steep a price. For example, Malaysia cancelled a $20-billion rail project last month.
Africa knows that China is their friend and the Forum was well attended.
I think perhaps China should identify those critics and tell the government to deal with them, publicly and transparently, before China brings more investment. It’s the local government who has the responsibility to protect China’s interests as an investor. China has accumulated the wealth by the hard-work and talent of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, not by dropping bombs, not by luck. This wealth should be used smartly and responsibly, not freely.
"Amid growing criticism over its debt-heavy approach to foreign aid" [sic]
Care to mention where this "growing criticism" is appearing? Let me guess: the US hegemon and our Western so-called "free press" peddling their agenda.
"Countries in other regions, especially Southeast Asia, are starting to question " [sic]
So you only have one single example for these alleged "countries in other regions" and that have zero thing to do with Africa: QED.
atimes have always been plagued with junk articles like this one. What’s the matter? Don’t have any guts to come out with any name? Anyone knows what "agencies" refer to – bbc, reuter, afp are some of the well known rotten western media.
SupChina is a US media focused on negative reports about China.