Belt & Road | Rwandan leader says China relates to Africa ‘as an equal’

Rwandan President Paul Kagame (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping, followed by their wives Jannette Kagame and Peng Liyuan arrive at Rwanda’s State House yesterday

Rwandan President Paul Kagame is praising China’s treatment of Africa “as an equal,” calling it “a revolutionary posture in world affairs” and “more precious than money.”

Kagame made the remarks yesterday after signing bilateral agreements with the visiting Chinese president, Xi Jinping. Xi is the first Chinese president to visit Rwanda.

Jinping arrived in Rwanda on Sunday from Senegal and will also be visiting Mauritius and South Africa, where he will attend a summit of the BRICS emerging economies.

Some African governments increasingly depend on loans from Chinese banks to finance ambitious infrastructure projects.

Senegal’s decision to become the first African country on the Atlantic coast to sign up to the Belt and Road Initiative shows how quickly the transport network project connecting China by land and sea to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa is expanding.

Lending by China to Africa rose to about USD12 billion in 2015 from little more than $100 million in 2000. Bloomberg Economics expects China to make significant policy declarations on its lending to Africa and other economic initiatives at the next forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing in September.

China is Africa’s largest trading partner and it also seeks closer military ties.

China opened its first military base on the continent last year in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. MDT/Agencies