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Chinese Foreign Minister in a Five-Nation Africa Tour To Strengthen Relations
11 January 2015
EIRNS— Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Nairobi, Kenya today to begin his five-nation trip through Africa till Jan. 17. "Africa has been the place where each Chinese Foreign Minister chooses to visit first at the outset of a new year, showcasing the great importance attached by the Chinese side to Africa," said Hong Lei, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Xinhua reported today. Since 1991, it has become a tradition for Chinese Foreign Ministers to visit African countries on their first trip abroad every year. Beside Kenya, Wang will also visit Sudan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Kenya, Wang will meet President Uhuru Kenyatta who had visited Beijing in 2013. According to Capital News of Kenya, Wang’s trip is considered important as it is meant to follow up on proposals and cooperation agreements signed between China and Kenya recently. Foreign Minister Wang is expected to check the implementation and progress of the agreements and development projects signed last year as well as improve China-Kenya relations. During his two-day visit to Kenya, Wang will look into projects that include the Standard Gauge Railway, the Olkaria geothermal power generation project, and support for social grassroots projects. Chinese President Xi Jinping had also chosen Africa for his first official visit after he took office, in March 2013. The BRICS Post pointed out today that President Xi had said last year that China, which has long been accused of using Africa as a source of natural resources and a market for its goods, will aim to make the continent more self-reliant. China will "teach them how to fish instead of giving them fishes directly," to help them realize independent and sustainable development, Xi noted. Ramtanu Maitra |
