Clinton's Africa visit fuels debate on competition between US and China_美文

Clinton's Africa visit fuels debate on competition between US and China

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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has concluded an 11-day tour of Africa in which she promoted a new US strategy for the continent.

The visit also stoked international debate about whether the US and China, the world's two biggest economies, are competing for resources in Africa.

Clinton's remarks during the trip, although not mentioning any country by name, were widely interpreted by analysts and media to be targeting China and lobbying African leaders to cooperate with the US, which was replaced by China three years ago as Africa's biggest trading partner.

Clinton arrived in Senegal on Aug 1 and visited Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Ghana. It was the highest-level visit to the continent by a US official since Barack Obama's administration issued a new strategy for Africa in June.

Clinton said in Senegal that the US was committed to "a model of sustainable partnership that adds value, rather than extracts it" from Africa. She said unlike other countries, the US "will stand up for democracy and universal human rights even when it might be easier to look the other way and keep the resources flowing".

A Xinhua News Agency commentary said Clinton's trip had a "hidden agenda", which was "aimed, at least partly, at discrediting China's engagement with the continent and curbing China's influence there".

"Her remarks betrayed an attempt to drive a wedge between China and Africa for selfish gain by the US," said the commentary headlined "US plot to sow discord between China, Africa is doomed to fail".