China pitches 'Africa Quad' with Germany, France ahead of Indo-Pacific Business Summit

In a key development, China on Tuesday proposed the idea of an 'African Quad'. Addressing an online summit, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted that China along with Germany and France can together assist in the development of Africa in a "four-party" framework. It is being seen as an invitation to French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to join the development framework Beijing had launched with African countries in May.

Justifying his invitation, Xi Jinping added, " Africa is a region facing the tasks of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving economic recovery, but is also the continent with the greatest development potentials."

Separately, the French and German statements made no mention of the "Quad" proposal, however, the Elysee Palace said France and Germany "welcomed China's commitment to contribute to the restructuring of the debt of vulnerable countries," a leading Asian journal reported.

S Jaishankar addresses first Indo-Pacific Business Summit

The statement of Xi Jinping came on the same day former External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar addressed the first edition of the Indo-Pacific Business Summit, which saw the participation of over 40 countries including the US, Australia, France, Vietnam, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Fiji. Jaishankar spoke on the Indo Pacific vision which was "seamless and integrated space disconnected decades ago" but as "many Indian Ocean economies trade further east and as Pacific ones too have displayed a presence south and westwards, we are quite sensibly seeing the landscape for what it really is."

The Minister further explained that "the vision means the overcoming of the Cold War and a rejection of bipolarity and dominance and is an expression of our collective interest in promoting global prosperity and securing the global commons." 

The event saw participation from Ambassadors and High Commissioners of various countries across the Indo-Pacific, a region spanning from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific island states.