Chinese state media regarded the Biden administration's Monday announcement of $55 billion in economic, health and security aid for African countries with dismissiveness in an opinion piece in the Global Times.
The state-run publication's editorial board chortled at the White House's attempt to temper China's growing influence on the African continent by throwing money at the challenges facing African countries.
"China is willing to see more countries, including the US, offer sincere help to Africa, as the saying goes, 'the more the better,' the Global Times editorialists wrote.
"African countries also are eager to seek strong support and assistance to deal with the food crisis, financial crisis, and fiscal crisis in the post-pandemic era. In this regard, there are many things the US can, needs and should do. But what's concerning is if the US will play the 'lip service' trick once again"
"The Power Africa initiative, which was proposed during the Obama administration, has only completed about 25 percent of the total," they continued. "Now that the Biden administration wants to regain the trust of Africa, it must first repay these debts."
Instead of focusing on helping African countries overcome developmental difficulties, the Global Times state writers argue that the United States' Africa strategy is focused on preventing China's development in the African continent, which "fundamentally goes against the wishes of African countries and damages their interests."
The Global Times derided President Joe Biden for thinking he could reset relations with African nations with $55 billion when China has become "Africa's largest trading partner, with trade volume reaching $254 billion in 2021, which is four times that of U.S.-Africa trade."
In a Wednesday editorial, Global Times writers attacked the "arrogant attitude" and "Cold War mentality with obvious anti-China sentiment" with which the U.S. approached African diplomacy.
According to Reuters, U.S. officials have characterized Chinese lending as "predatory" and leading to potential "debt traps." Washington has warned of the Communist nation's Belt and Road program, which makes Third World nations beholden to China over debts they can never repay and covers their landscapes with environmentally questionable development projects, Breitbart reported.
The Global Times made no mention of this to its readers in the editorials.
Experts on Africa told CNA on Wednesday that African leaders are well aware that China and the U.S. are competing for influence on the continent, even as both sides deny their intentions and the geopolitical deck reshuffles due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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