China increases its influence in West Africa

After the UAE, President Xi Jinping will visit Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa and Mauritius. The itinerary of the trip shows China's readiness to increase its political influence and economic presence in all regions of the continent, Tatiana Deich, an expert at the Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with Sputnik.

The Chinese leader's current trip to Africa has a distinctive feature that Tatiana Deutsch notes:

"Except for South Africa, all the countries that Xi Jinping visited are not rich in resources. This visit shows that China-Africa relations are not just about China's interest in African resources. The West has long criticized China, saying that for Beijing, the main countries are Angola, because of its oil, and Nigeria, because there is also oil. However, as with oil-producing countries, China pays much attention to Senegal, Rwanda and Mauritius, expanding relations with these countries in all areas."

According to recent polls, 65% of Senegalese people view China’s influence in the country as positive or very positive. Among the reasons for this assessment are the guaranteed good jobs and the creation of jobs in Chinese-invested enterprises.

Despite its greatest distance from other parts of the continent, China can connect this West African region with the Belt and Road project, said Jan Mian, an expert at the China Institute of Communication.

"China has always attached great importance to developing friendly relations with African countries. Of course, West Africa is an important part of China's African diplomacy. Compared with other regions of Africa, in recent years, top Chinese leaders have rarely visited West African countries. The reason for this is the frequent riots in the region, which are not favorable for the trip. Since last year, the situation in this sense has been improving.

China raises flag over Djibouti base.

China and West African countries have a history of friendly relations, as well as trade, economic and humanitarian ties. President Xi Jinping's visit to Senegal - the gateway to West Africa - will also contribute to further strengthening China's relations with countries in the region. Through this visit, China can expand its "Belt and Road" project to this African region."

Moreover, Senegal’s proximity to the Atlantic makes it strategically important to China. After all, Beijing currently lacks control of port infrastructure on the west coast of Africa, which would help achieve its ambitious goal of becoming a major maritime power.