The United States' outgoing President Joe Biden made his first visit to Africa in December, during the twilight of his term in office.

In contrast, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has upheld a three decade-long tradition of making African nations the first entries on Beijing's diplomatic calendar.

By the end of this week, Wang will have visited Namibia, the Republic of Congo, Chad and Nigeria.

While it is never clear in advance where the Chinese delegation will stop — or indeed why — the visits "resonate in Africa as a reminder of China's consistent commitment to the continent," Eric Olander, co-founder of the China-Global South Project, a multimedia project that covers China's engagement in the Global South, told Reuters, "in contrast to the approaches of the US, United Kingdom and European Union."

In fairness, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began 2024 with visits to Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola. However, the difference between the United States' and China's approaches is stark, according to Nigerian analyst Ovigwe Eguegu, who researches China's engagement across Africa.

"One partner visits when they can make time, the other makes it a tradition. It's not only about symbolism, but also substance, because it’s what makes the relationship thrive," he told DW, noting that China has been Africa’s biggest trading partner for the past 15 years.

Speaking in Namibia's capital, Windhoek, Wang said he hoped his visit would "show the world that China will always be a trustworthy friend of African brothers and sisters, the most reliable........

© Deutsche Welle