Chinese leader to visit Africa

Chinese President Xi Jinping will kick off a four-nation tour Friday with a visit to Tanzania, the first by China’s top leader since his election at last year’s national congress of the Communist Party of China.The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday that Xi will visit Russia and later Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo on March 22-30 and attend the fifth BRICS summit on March 26-27 in Durban, South Africa. Xi, who was elected as Chinese president last week, will be making a debut visit to Africa since he assumed office, when he attends the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) block summit slated for March 26-27 in South Africa.The Chinese president is likely to meet other African leaders to discuss how to strengthen the Sino-Africa ties during his stay on the continent, officials said.Xi’s visit to Africa could be critical to the continent’s future development, Zhong Jianhua, a special envoy of the People’s Republic of China in Africa, said.Zhong told reporters in Abuja,Nigeria, that he believes President Xis visit could be an opportunity for the Chinese leader to announce his countrys policies for Africa in the coming years.“There could be an address for the Chinese policy for this continent. And that address or speech, could be critical. Lets wait for just few days until he (Xi) gives a speech. Then, we can have a clear picture on what is going to happen,” Zhong said.The upcoming diplomatic britzkrieg has drawn worldwide attention as it will open a new chapter for Chinese diplomacy, which advocates peaceful coexistence and promotes win-win cooperation with others nations.Qu Xing, the president of the China Institute of International Studies, a think-tank affiliated with the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the tour, which spans Asia, Europe and Africa, demonstrates China’s comprehensive diplomatic strategy.