Incoming Chinese president Xi Jinping’s first trip as head of state will take him to Africa, the government said on Saturday, as China seeks to cement a growing trade and energy relationship that has caused alarm bells to ring in Washington.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that Xi, scheduled to take over formally from Hu Jintao as national leader next week, would visit South Africa, Tanzania and Republic of Congo, as well as Russia, though he provided no exact dates.
“China and Africa are good brothers, good friends and good partners. The visit by China’s new national chairman to Africa fully shows the importance we attach to Sino-African ties,” Yang told a news conference at China’s annual parliament meeting.
While in South Africa Xi will attend a summit of BRICS nations - made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - which will be held in Durban at the end of March, he added.
China has courted Africa for decades, but its efforts have kicked into high gear in recent years as Beijing seeks to satisfy growing demand for raw materials and energy for its booming economy, now the world’s second largest.
Last year Hu offered US$20 billion in loans to African countries over the coming three years, part of what China says is a no-strings-attached aid policy widely appreciated in Africa.