The Stark Difference Between How African and U.S. Governments See Engagement With China Was Clearly Evident in Nigeria

Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama speaks during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria, on November 18, 2021. Andrew Harnik / POOL / AFP

The huge divide between how African governments see their engagement with China and how it’s framed by the United States was on full display at a press conference late last week in Abuja with visiting Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his host Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.

While Blinken appeared to intentionally avoid using some of the more controversial rhetoric about “debt traps” and imported labor that has long informed official U.S. thinking on this issue, he wove in subtle, indirect references to several of the longstanding criticisms of Chinese investments in Africa. But Onyeama, like many of his peers in other foreign ministries, was not afraid to push back on that narrative:

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
3
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths
4 Trump’s Contradictory Iran Strategy Leaves U.S. Weaker After War’s End, Says Chinese Commentator
5
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
6
Indonesia Begins $5.9 Billion Chinese EV Battery Project Despite Environment Fears

You Might Like

Chinese Propaganda Promotes Beijing’s “Pragmatism” Over Washington’s “Idealism”

Global Times is one of China’s more nationalistic media outlets that often tests new propaganda and media messaging. This article was written Global Times writer Wang Cong in Kasane, Botswana. “The US continues ...

Florida Governor Calls China an “Adversary” Determined to Control Resources in Africa

Florida governor Rick Scott is by no means an important voice on foreign policy matters but he does offer some insight here on how a lot of senior US politicians now consider China ...

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Recent Trip to Africa Didn’t Make a Lot of News… And That’s a Good Thing

One of Washington’s leading Africa analysts, Judd Devermont at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, published a short Q&A that reflected on U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent three-nation African ...

As China’s International Relations Become Increasingly Fractious, Friendly Ties With Small Countries Like Ghana Gain Importance

China and Ghana marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations on Sunday and while these kinds of anniversaries typically aren’t very newsworthy, this year, well, things are different. Amid conflicts ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP