Xi visit displays China’s diplomatic concepts
Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the United Arab Emirates and four African countries July 19-28 and is set to attend the 10th BRICS Summit in South Africa. In a showcase for China’s diplomacy, Xi is making his first overseas tour since reelection, visiting emerging countries and developing nations.
Beijing has long been aware that developing nations are China’s natural partners in international affairs. And these nations realize that their cooperation is getting more important or even irreplaceable.
From the Middle East to Africa, countries there have obtained respect and equality from cooperation with China, which rarely exists in their relationship with developed nations. Despite Western publicity for China conducting neocolonialism in Africa, African nations don’t buy it because they can feel China’s sincerity in equal, win-win cooperation. An attempt to drive a wedge between China and Africa won’t work.
Rising out of poverty, China has developed technologies and experiences that tally with the needs of other developing countries. African cooperation with China focuses on development and solving problems as they don’t have to tussle over political ideas. That’s what African countries urgently need.
US President Donald Trump’s talks about “shithole” African nations suggest that Western elites probably hold some discriminatory attitudes toward Africa. In comparison, Chinese society deems Africa as a continent full of opportunities and countries there as diplomatic partners. Chinese sincerely believe every African country deserves to be treated cordially and valued.
Chinese leaders at all levels visit other developing countries more often and China attaches much importance to cultural exchanges. China’s strategic choice of cooperating with other developing nations is being displayed in all dimensions.
Chinese cooperation not only brings African countries technology and funding, but prompts the West to renew its understanding of Africa’s importance. For a long time Africa was nearly forgotten by the US. If it were not jealous about China-Africa relations, the West would continue overlooking the continent, considering its links with Africa are about education and charity.
No other major power than China has underscored that its vote in the UN Security Council represents the developing world. Western powers either still treat African countries as their colonies or think them too far away for modernization efforts or national politics. Despite a huge African American population in the US, it doesn’t enjoy China’s affinity with Africa.
China never wants to turn its cooperation with other developing nations, including those in Africa, into a zerosum game or exclusive relationship. China is happy to see Western countries give more importance to Africa than China and invest in developing nations to push humanity forward.