China Expands Influence in Africa by Building Government Facilities, West Starting to Counter

China Expands Influence in Africa by Building Government Facilities, West Starting to Counter
The facade of the headquarters of the African Union (AU) is pictured in Addis Ababa on March 13, 2019. Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images
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In mid-May, China invested $35 million in Kenya to build a new foreign ministry building. It’s the latest in a series of investments and grants given by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to African countries, which allows the regime to expand its political and economic influence in the continent.

China’s investment offers, mainly through its Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI), have been widely criticized for setting up debt traps for recipient countries, along with accusations of espionage and infiltration. The West has now started to take counter measures.

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