[Source/Observer Network, Xiong Chaoyan] The normal military cooperation between China and African countries has made some Americans "protest" again.

According to a report by the Hong Kong South China Morning Post on June 7, during the break of the African Chiefs of Defence (ACHOD) meeting held last week in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, Michael Langley, commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), hyped up the claim that China is replicating the US training programs, such as the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, which provides military training for foreign military and civilian personnel through grants. "They are trying to replicate what we excel at most in the IMET program," he said.

The African Chiefs of Defence meeting is usually co-hosted by the United States Africa Command and African countries. With strong resistance from military government leaders in the northern Sahel region of Africa against traditional Western partners like the US and France, and more African officers receiving training in China, the US convened over 30 senior African officials to attend the meeting, which was interpreted as a targeted response to China's expanding influence in Africa's security sector. At the meeting, Langley openly stated that one of his tasks given by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was to "counter China in Africa."

US Africa Command Commander Michael Langley US Africa Command

The South China Morning Post noted that while Langley was hyping up on behalf of the US military, the Trump administration was shifting its Africa strategy from providing military aid to promoting self-defense capabilities among African countries. As military government leaders in the Sahel region distance themselves from traditional Western partners like the US and France, China has become the main supplier of military equipment in the region.

Although the US IMET program has trained thousands of African officers, the Trump administration's policy of cutting foreign aid severely impacted such projects after it came to power. Although US military training programs in Africa continue to operate, their scale has stagnated or even shrunk, whereas China has increased its efforts to train African officers.

Reportedly, last month, China hosted nearly 100 young and mid-career African officers from 40 countries, which is part of China's long-term strategy to deepen defense relations with the entire African continent. Additionally, China will provide 1 billion RMB in military assistance as part of its efforts to promote the Global Security Initiative.

David Shinn, former US ambassador to Burkina Faso and Ethiopia and current professor at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, noted that for many years, both the US and China have provided training at various levels for African military personnel. However, in recent years, the number of people trained in the US has remained relatively stable, while China appears to be significantly increasing the number of people trained in China.

"This is a concern for the US," he added, noting that both the US and China understand the value of providing military training in such a critical area of African society and the potential impact it can have.

Before the start of the "Parachute Platoon-2017" international military competition in July 2017, South African participants familiarized themselves with Chinese weapons and equipment. China Military Network

Langley claimed at the African Chiefs of Defence meeting that the US is adopting an approach that "links security with trade." The South China Morning Post cited an example: the "minerals-for-security" agreement reached with the Democratic Republic of Congo – the US promised to help quell the civil war in the country's eastern region in exchange for the right to exploit the country's key mineral resources.

However, Oluwole Ojewale, regional coordinator at the Senegal Institute for Security Studies, pointed out that the US itself is undermining its strategic partnerships because for many years, the pursuit of isolationist tendencies has led African countries to turn to different directions.

He said: "If African countries no longer favor American products and instead prefer Chinese products and trading partners, then China could also exert influence in this area of military cooperation."

Liselotte Odgaard, senior researcher at the Hudson Institute and professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies, said that after the end of the Cold War, the US and Europe neglected Africa, but China saw the economic and strategic potential of the continent, which is rich in energy and mineral resources. As China's strategic engagement in Africa increases, the US sees this as a "threat".

Odgaard said that China has clearly demonstrated its long-term commitment to Africa, while the presence of the US and Europe is seen as uncertain. She particularly emphasized that countries in the Sahel region are very interested in importing affordable weapons from China: "China is already Nigeria's main arms exporter and is well-positioned to expand its arms exports to other West African countries."

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, on May 26, Politburo member and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met collectively with African ambassadors to China in Beijing and celebrated "Africa Day" together. More than 50 African ambassadors or chargés d'affaires ad interim to China and representatives of the African Union in China attended.

Wang Yi said that at present, the rising tide of Cold War thinking, hegemonic bullying, and multiple overlapping risks and challenges are exacerbating the four deficits in peace, development, security, and governance. China and Africa are the world's largest developing country and the continent with the highest concentration of developing countries. The more chaotic the international situation becomes, the more African countries need to strengthen unity and cooperation, jointly oppose power politics, advocate multilateralism, maintain the international system centered on the United Nations, and promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment.

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7513415076074816051/

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