China’s new pledges reflect concern over its competition in Africa

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kenyan President William Ruto greet each other at the opening ceremony of the ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sept. 5, 2024.

After pledging $51 billion in financial support for Africa over the next three years and positioning China as a fellow developing country in contrast to the West’s colonialist past, President Xi Jinping told dozens of African leaders gathered in Beijing this week that “the China-Africa relationship is now at its best in history.”