China’s presence in Africa emerged as a minor theme in a hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday convened by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The committee met to discuss U.S. counterterrorism issues in Africa and towards the end of the hearing Arizona representative Paul Gosar (R) asked Heritage Foundation Middle East and Africa policy] analyst Josh Meservey for his perspective on what China’s Belt and Road Initiative is having in Africa.
[FACT CHECK]: In his question to Meservey, Representative Gosar incorrectly asserted that Chinese companies do not hire local African employees to work on infrastructure projects. Thorough research from a number of well-respected scholars does not support that finding.