China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has commenced his traditional New Year tour of Africa, a practice that has endured for 35 years. This year’s visit underscores Beijing’s steady expansion of influence across the resource-rich continent at a time when Europe’s presence is shrinking, and the United States’ involvement remains uncertain.
As global leaders focus on pressing issues such as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with domestic politics, Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Namibia, the Republic of Congo, Chad, and Nigeria highlights China’s consistent engagement with Africa, analysts note.
