After hosting the leaders of Botswana and Togo, China is preparing to welcome the foreign ministers of Djibouti and the Republic of the Congo from October 19 to 25. The flurry of high-level engagements raises a bigger question: what is Beijing offering Africa, and how can African countries turn closer diplomatic ties into trade, investment, jobs and lasting economic gains?
China’s diplomatic calendar is telling a story that deserves closer attention in African capitals and boardrooms.
Last week, Botswana’s President Duma Boko and Togo’s President of the Council of Ministers, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, travelled to Beijing for high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. This week, China is preparing to receive the foreign ministers of Djibouti and the Republic of the Congo for official visits scheduled from 19 to 25 October.
The sequence is significant. Within a short period, four African countries with different economic priorities and strategic interests have featured prominently in China’s diplomatic engagement.
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