Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi began his four-day visit to the Horn of Africa on January 4. The diplomat began his tour in the Eritrean capital of Asmara and also visited Kenya and Comoros.
Eritrea
On Wednesday, Wang held talks with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and Foreign Minister Osman Saleh. Without mentioning names, Wang said that “some major countries outside the region have used the Horn of Africa as an arena for geopolitical games,” which has caused “turbulence and frequent conflicts” and slowed regional development.
This may have been a possible reference to Eritrea being sanctioned by the United States (US) over its involvement in the conflict in neighbouring Ethiopia. Last November, the African nation joined China’s massive infrastructure investment project, the Belt and Road Initiative.
In this regard, their joint statement released on the same day outlined that both sides agreed to “respect the rule of law, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity.” They also agreed to work together to implement the outcomes of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
Eritrea, which is one of the world's most closed-off countries, was also visited by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in November last year. Blinken’s trip was partly aimed at countering China's growing influence on the continent.
Kenya
Following this, Wang met with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Awuor Omamo in Mombasa on Thursday. During this meeting, Wang addressed concerns regarding its alleged practice of “debt trap” diplomacy.
Wang emphasised that “the “debt trap” in Africa is not a fact, but a malicious hype-up by some people.” He slammed critics saying that “it is an “utterance trap” created by those forces that do not want to see Africa speed up development,” adding that “if there is any “trap” in Africa, it is the “poverty trap” and the “underdevelopment trap,” which Africa should get rid of as soon as possible.”
Moreover, the two sides agreed to work together to maintain regional stability. China also pledged to donate 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, in addition to signing six memorandums of understanding and agreements on trade, investments, digital innovation, green development.
Wang also attended the completion ceremony of the Chinese-built oil terminal at the port of Mombasa with Kenyatta.
Comoros
On the same day, Wang also met with Comorian President Azali Assoumani and vowed to strengthen bilateral ties, and cooperation in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, multilateral affairs, and infrastructure construction. In an address, Wang stressed that “mutual understanding, trust, and support are very important for bilateral ties.”
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, it is customary for the Chinese foreign minister’s first overseas trip of the new year to always be to Africa. The tradition is now in its 32nd year. Wang’s trip also comes less than five weeks after his last trip to the continent, when he led the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation conference in Senegal and also made a quick stop in Ethiopia.
Although China’s Foreign Ministry did not elaborate on why the three countries were chosen for this year’s visit, ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian had previously hinted that gathering resistance against the United States regarding the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia will likely emerge as a prominent theme during Wang’s tour, especially in Eritrea and Kenya.
According to official Chinese figures, China is Africa’s largest trading partner, with direct trade worth over $200 billion in 2019. The Asian giant also plans on sending a special envoy to the Horn of Africa to help resolve regional conflicts and “support peace and prosperity,” most likely with an eye on crises in Ethiopia and Somalia.
Wang Yi is now set to visit Sri Lanka and the Maldives.