Various African officials and representatives refuted the false narrative of China's "Debt Trap" in Africa hyped up by the Western world during the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which ran from Sept 4 to 6 in Beijing.
"Debt-trap" is a term to describe an international financial relationship where a creditor country or institution extends debt to a borrowing nation with the intention of extracting economic or political concessions when the debtor country becomes unable to meet its repayment obligations.
Western media have pinned the "Debt Trap" narrative on China since an Indian think tank coined the term in 2017. The term appeared as recently as Aug 13, with a new report from UK newspaper The Times titled "Kenyan train to nowhere reveals China's debt trap diplomacy."
However, African officials and representatives do not buy into the elaborate hoax.
"It is 'sour graping'. Who colonized Africa? Was it China, or the Western powers? How come after the Africa gained independence, they would have colonized Africa, abandoned Africa. 'Sour graping' is essentially saying 'because I can't have it, you should also not have it'. It is an attempt to discourage Africa to continue to relate to China," said Ugandan Foreign Minister Jeje Odongo.
"I see propaganda, so many lies about China. There is a book called China in My Own Eyes, that's a very good, nice book to read, written by one of the African students who has been here before. So when I read that book, I realized that, yeah, that's the book that talks about the real China," said Bbaale Adrian Buwanika, a journalist with Uganda newspaper, New Vision.
On the contrary, African officials and representatives viewed China as a solid partner who offers helping hand for developing countries to learn how to prosper themselves.
"Better to teach someone how to fish rather than giving the present fish everyday. I think that's a Chinese proverb, right? A lot of Africans traveling to China to study now serving in critical areas for socioeconomic development, that will be long-lasting and mutually beneficial for our people," said Momodou Lamin Choi, senior reporter at QTV Gambia.
"I would say that China is an all-weather friend of the African people. It means that through thick, thin, easy days, bad days, we are friends," said Peya Mushelenga, Namibian minister of international relations and cooperation.
"Everything is positive, so let's keep it that way," said President of Seychelles Wavel Ramkalawan.
Western "Debt Trap" narrative on China-Africa cooperation untenable: African officials
Scenic spots were shut, crops were harvested and residents were evacuated to temporary shelters on Sunday in east China's Zhejiang Province, as the East China Sea coastal province took proactive steps to safeguard local residential communities before the arrival of Typhoon Bebica.
Typhoon Bebinca, the 13th this year, made landfall near the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai on Monday morning.
Before its landfall, the scenic spot of Haitian Yizhou (which literally means "Ocean-Heaven Shoal"), nestled on the Hangzhou Bay Cross-Sea Bridge, was abruptly closed on Sunday morning.
Unwary travelers who ventured there were promptly advised to depart, with local authorities also temporarily blocking access roads.
In Huzhou, a city of Zhejiang, gusts whipped up waves as high as two meters along the south bank of Lake Taihu on Sunday afternoon, prompting the closure of the scenic area and the safe evacuation of visitors.
Similar protective measures were enacted in Wenzhou, where a beach was closed.
To protect mature farm crops from the onslaught of Bebica, efforts have been made throughout Zhejiang to harvest those that are ripe for picking. In the city of Pinghu, farmers were seen toiling diligently to gather their ripe yields before the arrival of the typhoon.
Greenhouses across the region were reinforced to resist the battering winds and heavy rains, with meticulous drainage preparations underway to protect from waterlogging.
In Tongxiang City, farmers hastened the persimmon harvest to prevent fruit loss.
"For us, the top priority is to finish persimmons harvest before the typhoon arrives. Persimmons are heavy, and once the rain comes, they may easily fall onto the ground," said Yang Mengxian, a farmer.
The aquaculture community also sprang into action, accelerating the harvest of aquatic goods and fortifying their dwellings in key bases like Ninghai and Cixi.
As a precaution, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a directive to enhance coordination of cold storage facilities for storing freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, aiming to minimize the impact of the typhoon on agricultural production.
Temporary shelters have been put into use in Ningbo to house residents evacuated from vulnerable or dilapidated structures prone to geological disasters and flash floods.
As the Mid-autumn Festival draws near, a time for family reunions, evacuees were not only provided with essential supplies but also traditional mooncakes.
An indoor stadium of a local primary school, which has been repurposed as a temporary shelter for the first time, started to receive local residents evacuated.
"People keeps coming to this site, and locals prefers staying at this shelter when the typhoon hits. Once the rainstorm subsides, we will send them back home safe and sound," said Zhou Shanhua, manager of the temporary shelter.
To cope with Typhoon Bebica, Daishan County of Zhejiang's Zhoushan City has set up 14 temporary shelters.
The largest venue, situated within a local school, has already received over 1,500 evacuees transported from a nearby island, ensuring their safety and well-being.
East China's Zhejiang takes precautions against Typhoon Bebica
