China’s President Xi Jinping arrived in Senegal on Saturday for a two-day visit to sign bilateral deals, the first leg of his Africa tour.
China now does more trade with Africa than any other nation and Xi’s trip – his second abroad since starting a second term under new rules that abolished term limits – will also take him to Rwanda and South Africa, for a summit of BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
China’s consistent overtures to Africa contrast sharply with the United States, whose President Donald Trump has shown little interest in the continent.
He will meet Senegalese President Macky Sall for the third time and sign several deals. China’s ambassador to Senegal Zhang Xun was quoted in the local press in March as saying China had invested $100 million in Senegal in 2017.
Xi was greeted by a brass band and hundreds of people waving Chinese and Senegalese flags and wearing T-shirts with the two leaders’ faces on.
