African heads of state head to Beijing for China-Africa cooperation summit

African heads of state have begun arriving in the Chinese capital, Beijing, ahead of the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit which gets underway on Wednesday.

This ninth gathering is expected to provide a framework for navigating China’s evolving strategic partnership with the continent in the post-Covid era.

It is taking place at a time of rising geopolitical tension that will see Beijing prioritise its position in…