Washington. Beijing. How many divisions are in Africa? In the global tug-of-war between the US and China, the continent is at the centre of attention. The recent African tours conducted by Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, and Wang Yi, China’s foreign affairs minister, are the most recent illustration of this battle for influence.
During the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (Focac), which was held in Dakar from 28-30 November, Yi delivered – on President Xi Jinping’s behalf – a new batch of promises. A few days earlier, Blinken had also been in Dakar and forcefully assured us that the continent was “at the centre of [Joe Biden’s] foreign policy.”
Economy: Beijing imposes itself
However, what are their respective strengths and weaknesses? On the economic front, the Chinese are unambiguously in the lead. Even though many experts, and some African heads of state, seem to have
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