Tillerson heads to sub-Saharan Africa

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson headed to one of the most insecure, politically troubled regions of the world on Tuesday when he began a seven-day, five-nation diplomatic mission through sub-Saharan Africa.

In a policy speech before he left, Tillerson said he will seek continued support in counterterrorism efforts and make a case for resisting China’s growing political and economic influence on the continent.

“Chinese investment does have the potential to address Africa’s infrastructure gap, but its approach has led to mounting debt and few, if any, jobs in most countries,” Tillerson said at George Mason University outside Washington.

Challenging a rising China has become a favored theme for Tillerson, who also criticized Chinese investment in Latin America during a swing there last month and in the so-called Indo-Pacific region, where Beijing wields enormous economic and military power.

U.S. officials decry what they say is a Chinese policy of easy, low-interest loans to governments that produce high indebtedness. Russia, Iran and other countries offer similar loans.

Tillerson is scheduled to arrive first in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The country is in a political crisis after the resignation of its prime minister, and violent street protests that left hundreds dead or wounded.