China expands African reach as Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau join belt and road ahead of key regional forum
- President Xi Jinping to deliver keynote speech via video link at Forum on China-Africa Cooperation ministerial meeting starting on November 29
- Eritrea deal cements China’s foothold in Horn of Africa and Red Sea, while Guinea-Bissau access will boost its maritime interests along West African coast
With Guinea-Bissau joining, Beijing would be able to expand its maritime interests along the West African coastline, observers said.
On Thursday, the Chinese ambassador to Eritrea, Cai Ge, and Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh signed a belt and road memorandum of understanding on behalf of their governments.
A day earlier, Guinea-Bissau also joined the initiative, a move that “will not only promote exchanges in various fields but also mark a new chapter in relations between the two countries”, according to Wu Peng, director general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s African affairs department.
Under the belt and road strategy, China has funded the construction of highways, railways and power plants across Africa.
In the Horn of Africa, it funded and built a railway line running from Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to the Port of Djibouti on the Red Sea. It set its first overseas military base in Djibouti and also funded mega ports and port terminals in the country.