Xi pledged US$140 million in military aid, the largest amount that China has earmarked for this purpose at the summit.
Noting that China’s assistance includes training and exchanges for military and law enforcement personnel, as well as more security-related exports to Africa, Gill said this would increase China’s security-related footprint.
It moves past Beijing’s traditional emphasis on development, he said.
“We’re seeing an increase in its interest to expand security-related activities and cooperation with African countries,” he added.
“That’s something new, and it’s definitely worth watching.”
WILL AFRICA BENEFIT?
While Xi made wide-ranging commitments to Africa, it will be up to Chinese companies to make the investment decisions, Gill said. He added that three years is a short period to see the outcomes of such investments.
If the investments are realised, though, they will be a “huge step forward” for advancing some of the needs in Africa, he said.
However, he noted that lending by China does not come with rules surrounding environmental standards, workplace safety and good governance that typically come with loans from other organisations like the World Bank.
