From the article:
On the eve of his first (and only) official visit to Africa, former US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson drew a sharp contrast between US aid and lending in Africa, and China’s—one of many warnings from the US on the topic this year.
“The United States pursues, develops sustainable growth that bolsters institutions, strengthens rule of law, and builds the capacity of African countries to stand on their own two feet,” Tillerson said, speaking at George Mason University ahead of a trip that would take him to Ethiopia, Kenya, Chad, and Nigeria. “This stands in stark contrast to China’s approach, which encourages dependency using opaque contracts, predatory loan practices, and corrupt deals that mire nations in debt and undercut their sovereignty.”
That warning came just days after a report by the Center for Global Development, a US-based research nonprofit, warned that eight countries were at serious risk of above-average debt because of Chinese lending. The only African nation among the eight—Djibouti—is a worrying inclusion for the US, given it’s home to a major US military base, and as of last year, China’s first overseas military base as well. Djibouti government debt went from 50% of GDP (pdf, p. 1) five years ago to over 80% (pdf, p. 14). The US is concerned that like in Sri Lanka, China could eventually take control of a key port in Djibouti.
