Partnership between China and African countries will benefit Africa's economic development, a South African official said as the US Secretary of State made what appeared to be veiled attacks on China while visiting the continent.
Hillary Clinton arrived in Senegal on Wednesday, on the first stop of an 11-day tour of Africa. It is the highest-level visit to the continent by a US official since June, when Washington issued a strategy for Africa that calls for greater access to investment between the United States and African countries.
Clinton told a university audience that the US was committed to "a model of sustainable partnership that adds value, rather than extracts it" from Africa.
Unlike other countries, the United States "will stand up for democracy and universal human rights even when it might be easier to look the other way and keep the resources flowing," she said.
Although Clinton did not mention any country by name, her remarks were widely interpreted as a swipe at China, which eclipsed the US as Africa's biggest trading partner three years ago, reported the Guardian, a London-based newspaper.
Analysts view Clinton's visit as an attempt to compete with Sino-African cooperation, which has been growing rapidly in recent years despite continuing criticism from Western countries, which say China is practicing neocolonialism in Africa.
Malusi Gigaba, South Africa's minister of public enterprises, believes a strong partnership between China and his country will "achieve a great deal" for Africa's economic development.
