China right to pursue Horn of Africa peace
China’s commitment to Africa has been evident for the past 32 years, where the foreign minister’s first overseas visit of the year is to the continent. But there has been added significance this time with Wang Yi, also a state councillor, announcing during his recent three-nation trip that Beijing would appoint a special envoy to help mediate conflicts in the strife-ridden Horn of Africa. Emphasising the point, he went to Eritrea, which is fighting rebels from neighbouring Ethiopia’s Tigray area, and in Kenya, involved in diplomatic efforts, called for a regional peace conference. It is an understandable approach given China’s responsibility as a global power and the substantial investments of Chinese companies involved in projects linked to the Belt and Road Initiative.
Africa’s focus for China has traditionally been more about trade and investment than politics and diplomacy. Beijing has strictly adhered to a policy of non-interference in the affairs of other countries. Wang in urging African nations to hold a peace conference and suggesting a Chinese special envoy could provide “necessary support” is not a change of that stance. Instead, it reflects a desire to end conflicts that threaten regional development and prosperity and Chinese interests.
China is Africa’s biggest investor and trading partner, proving the importance Beijing attaches to relations with developing countries. It has provided the continent with more vaccines and equipment to fight the Covid-19 pandemic than any other nation. Among interests in the Horn of Africa, it has a naval base near a key shipping route in Djibouti, located between Eritrea and Somalia, substantial oil investments in South Sudan, and is the biggest foreign direct investor in Ethiopia. The region’s main threats are political instability in Somalia and South Sudan and the Tigray conflict, which has killed tens of thousands since November 2020 and threatens to fracture Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country.
China prides itself on its cooperation with African nations being based on equality and mutual benefit. The absence of political strings can ensure trust when it comes to aid and development. Beijing’s support for peace in the Horn of Africa is in keeping with those aims.