Africa’s growing affinity for China draws both excitement and concern from observers the world over, while African leaders themselves seem drawn to the material benefits China is offering. What has China really done for Africa’s developing nations thus far?

The trip, in both its timing and content, was designed compete with China and expand American influence. Senegal, the U.S. Secretary of State’s last stop, happens to be the host country of the upcoming Eighth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Ministerial Conference. That’s no coincidence.

China’s deepening ties to Africa has shaken up the status quo, with positive and negative outcomes rippling across the planet. What does the rapid development of Africa and China hold for the future?

While the United States is proposing to withdrawal troops from Africa, it is also strengthening its non-military presence in response to great power competition.

The US should emulate China’s behavior on Africa.

The president-elect’s seeming antipathy for African-Americans and Africa itself concerns many who saw Hillary Clinton as more engaged with the continent. If the Trump administration truly adopts a policy to marginalize Africa, the US may well lose its status among African people as the favored model of development to China.

China and the U.S. share common interests but very different approaches in Africa. If the two countries can explore possibilities to realize bilateral security cooperation and work to maintain peace and stability in the continent, they can set the stage for a new type of major-country relations that rises about fierce competition.

In 2015, much emphasis has been placed on a partnership between the African Union and China in order to accelerate the construction of the three major networks to help materialize the “century dream” of connecting all capital cities in Africa with high-speed railways. African economic integration calls for not only consensus and impetus from African countries, but also external investment to drive the process.

While the inaugural U.S. Africa Leaders Summit made great strides to improve the United States’ relationship with the continent, Dong Chunling and Wang Lei express doubt that the three-day meeting will hold much sway of America’s strategic thinking or foreign policy.

The US-Africa summit revealed America’s intention to catch up and compete with China in Africa, but it also conveyed a message of strengthening collaboration with China and promoting African development and security together, writes He Wenping.