China’s new foreign minister visits Africa on his first international trip

Africa, Asia-Pacific, News January 10, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

China’s new foreign minister Qin Gang has embarked on his first international trip after taking the office as country’s top diplomat in December 2022. During his trip, Qin Gang would visit five African countries from January 9 to January 16, 2023.

According to China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin, Qin would visit Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Benin, and Egypt on his first international trip as China’s foreign minister. In Egypt, he would also hold a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

Qin’s trip to Africa reaffirms China’s increasing interests and highlights its stake in China. As the United States and France look to rebuild relationships in order to benefit from the increased production of African energy products in the wake of deteriorating relations with Russia, China has been strengthening its footing on the continent.

It has become a tradition for China’s foreign ministers to start each year by traveling to Africa. The newly appointed foreign minister is following in the footsteps of his predecessors, who have for more than 30 years started each year with a trip to Africa.

While announcing Qin’s plans to visit Africa, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang said, “It shows that China attaches great importance to the traditional friendship with Africa and the development of China-Africa relations.”

56-year-old Qin was serving as China’s ambassador to the U.S. from July 2021 to December 2022. After completing his tenure as ambassador in Washington, Qin succeeded Wang Yi as the country’s foreign minister. Wang Yi has been promoted to serve as Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a position previously held by Yang Jiechi.

Around the end of his tenure as China’s ambassador to the U.S., Qin faced a shutout from the Biden administration. His requests for high-level official meetings were often declined and he was limited to carrying out meetings with other foreign ambassadors or state and municipal-level officials. For months after arriving in Washington, Qin Gang only had a handful of meetings with high-level U.S. officials.

^{Qin Gang speaking at the reception held at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., U.S., marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army of China. (Image Credit: Twitter/@AmbQinGang)}

White House, however, rejects such characterization. According to White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson, “Senior White House officials, along with senior officials from across the administration, have engaged regularly with Ambassador Qin since his arrival in Washington.”

Watson’s statement also included a list of eight senior officials from the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who had met with Qin while he was ambassador.

Although Qin did not get all the meetings he requested in Washington, his farewell message as ambassador to the U.S. did not show any resentment. He expressed his “sincere gratitude” for the “great support and assistance from all sectors of the American people.”

Stung by failed efforts to connect with the Biden administration, Qin has now returned to Beijing to take charge as China’s top diplomat. Many observers believe the White House’s reluctance to engage with Qin may come back to haunt it.