On February 29, 2024, Dr. John Gong, a China Forum expert and vice president for research at UIBE Israel, discussed the visit of the President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio to China on Asharq News.

The discussion centered on a statement made by President Xi Jinping during his talks with President Bio: “The Chinese side will, following the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, strengthen mutual support and friendly cooperation with African countries, synergize the Initiative on Supporting Africa’s Industrialization, the Plan for China Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development with the Agenda 2063 of the African Union and development strategies of African countries, and further integrate the development of China, Africa and the world to upgrade China-Africa cooperation and move the world towards a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress.” China’s foreign policy in the Global South focuses on developing bilateral and mutually beneficial trade relations, with no intention of engaging in any geopolitical competition with the US. The Belt and Road Initiative has brought opportunities for developing countries, especially in Africa, to industrialize and participate in the global value chain, said Professor Gong. He also dismissed accusations of the initiative being a “debt trap.”