Carrot and sticks Xi Jinping interview with belt and road – Central radio station – Radio Taiwan International

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Senegal on the 21st for a visit, he promised to strengthen economic relations with Africa and signed a series of trade agreements.It is the first time since 10 years that Chinese leaders visit the country. On the right, Senegalese President Salk (Macky Sall). (AP / Da Zhi Image)

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Senegal on the 21st. He promised to strengthen economic relations with Africa and signed a series of trade agreements for the first time. times since 10 years. Access

This is the first leg of Xi Jinping's African tour, he will also visit Luanda and South Africa and will attend the BRICS Summit in South Africa. China is Africa's largest trading partner and the African continent is flooded with cheap loans from China for the exchange of minerals and large-scale construction projects.

Xi Jinping said at a joint press conference after talks with Senegalese President Macky Sall: "Every time I come to Africa, I will see the vitality of this continent and the desire of the local people to While the details of the bilaterally signed agreements have not yet been announced, the Saar said they had talks on "bilateral cooperation, Sino-African relations and current international affairs". As well as China.It is "one of the greatest economies of modern times."

Africa is expanding in infrastructure design and painting , while China expands its influence on Africa through a two-pronged approach to low-cost management and lending.The project aims to connect China's transportation networks with Southeast Asia -East, in the Middle East, in Europe e and Africa.

China has committed to invest $ 126 billion in this project, and proponents praise it as an important source of financial life in developing countries. In Senegal, a Chinese financing financed a highway linking the capital Dakar and the second largest city of Touba, as well as a part of an industrial park on the Dhaka peninsula.

Local media quoted Zhang Xun, the Chinese ambbadador to Senegal, in March as saying that China had invested 100 million US dollars in Senegal in 2017.

Although President Saar said that Senegal was monitoring China's role in Africa, critics say Africa suffers from a debt that China may not be able to repay, estimated at tens of billions of dollars. This could leave African countries no choice but to transfer the majority stake in strategic badets to the Chinese government.

US authorities have warned that a port of Djibouti could suffer this fate. But Djibouti denied this concern.

Djibouti, located in the Horn of Africa, is an important source of supply to and from the Red Sea, as well as a major garrison for US and French forces. Devin Nunes, chairman of the US House Intelligence Committee, said the launch of a military base in Djibouti in China last summer was an example of ways to maintain Beijing's commercial power, which also plans to build a multipurpose terminal in Djibouti for the Chinese navy. The fleet is moored.

As for Guinea, one of the poorest countries in the world, China is providing $ 20 billion in funding for the exchange of aluminum mining concessions.

In addition to trade and minerals, China also sees Africa as a source of political support. Since the Republic of China and Burkina Faso broke up on May 24, Swaziland has become Taiwan's only friend in Africa today.