China's "Belt and Road Initiative" Arrives in West Africa

By The Lowy Interpreter 2018-07-20 15:00:33

[By Dr. Cornelia Tremann] Xi Jinping’s choice of Senegal for a state visit on July 20-21 his first visit to West Africa, suggests that China seeks to deepen cooperation in a region that has seen less Chinese engagements than elsewhere in Africa. In using Senegal as a springboard, China seeks to advance strategic goals: bringing West Africa into the “Belt and Road” orbit and consolidating influence in a historically French-dominated region.  China’s Belt and Road Initiative has been targeted at rail, road,...