China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has begun the traditional New Year visit to Africa. During the trip, he will visit Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Lesotho. The visit will last until January 12 and is aimed at strengthening China’s trade and economic ties with Africa.
The main goal of the trip is to reinforce key trade routes in eastern and southern Africa. In particular, maritime routes passing through Somalia are important for Chinese trade. Tanzania is seen as a key country linking Africa’s resource-rich interior regions with seaports.
In recent years, African countries have shown greater interest in attracting investment rather than taking loans. For this reason, China is promoting projects focused not only on infrastructure but also on production and job creation. This could take cooperation between China and Africa to a new level.
The visit to Lesotho highlights China’s support for free trade. China previously granted duty-free access to its market for the world’s poorest countries. This has served as important support for some African states affected by U.S. trade restrictions.
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