Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

Oh, the Talking Points: Why It’s Sometimes Better When U.S. Officials Leave China Out of the Africa Conversation…

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin participate in a Peace, Security and Governance Forum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C., on December 13, 2022. EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / POOL / AFP

At the outset of the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit, one message was clear: African countries hate being made to ‘choose sides’ between the U.S. and China. So, U.S. officials were determined to avoid the appearance of making them do so. That meant steering away from China-related discussions as much as possible. 

There was just one snag: most reporters were only interested in framing the summit as a competition with China. What followed was a repeated cycle of U.S. officials trying to talk about Africa as reporters kept peppering them with questions about China.

  • 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.

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.