Africa-China cooperation not "neo-colonialism": Senegalese PM

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Prime Minister of Senegal Ousmane Sonko criticized Western countries' attempts to label Africa-China cooperation as "neo-colonialism," calling it "a false narrative".

In an interview with China Media Group released on Friday, Sonko, who was in China for the 2025 Summer Davos, shed light on the true nature of China's engagement in Africa. 

"One thing Africa can state clearly and firmly is this: there is no historical baggage between us and China. China never colonized Africa, never waged war against Africa, and has never posed any historical threat to our continent," said the prime minister.

"For a long time, Africa-China relations have always been based on mutual benefit, openness, and voluntary engagement. China has often demonstrated a strong willingness to listen to Africa. So, in my view, this notion of 'neo-colonialism' is a false narrative," Sonko said.

As for the external doubts and criticism, the PM said he believes they stem from the anxiety and discomfort felt by some traditional powers in response to China's development. These powers hope to use such narratives to sow suspicion among African nations and drive a wedge between them and China, he said.

"This line of thinking is a fundamental misunderstanding of Africa and reveals a 'paternalistic' attitude. Whenever African leaders speak of sovereignty and responsibility, some Western media claim it's because of influence from China or Russia. It's as if they don't believe we are capable of independent thought -- that we can't possibly make judgments or decisions on our own, or act and speak in defense of our own interests," he added.

This mindset reflects their long-standing approach to dealing with Africa, Sonko noted.

"They assume that if an African country chooses a different partner, it must be because we've been manipulated or coerced. I personally reject that logic. Since coming to power, every engagement we've had with China has been founded on mutual respect, shared development, and the goal of common prosperity," the PM said.

Sonko was in China to attend the Summer Davos forum, which was held in  north China's Tianjin Municipality from June 24 through 26.

Africa-China cooperation not "neo-colonialism": Senegalese PM

The Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by China has shifted the paradigm in thinking about global security away from the traditional zero-sum mentality toward a vision rooted in dialogue and development, said a Chinese expert on Tuesday.

In April 2022, China proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which aims to create a new path to security that prioritizes dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win over zero-sum thinking.

The initiative provides a new course and approach to addressing the root causes of international conflicts and solving security challenges facing humanity.

During an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Wang Xinsong, associate professor at the School of Government at Beijing Normal University, hailed the initiative's importance amid escalating global challenges.

"It's been four years and we have witnessed that the Global Security Initiative or GSI has transformed from a framework in principle to an action plan with many actions having taken place in mediating the conflicts. The major difference between the GSI and the traditional and the existing mainstream idea about global security is that the mainstream idea is being the zero-sum mentality where the belief is that one country's safety is possible only if its neighbors safety is not existent. The GSI shifts the paradigm in thinking about global security away from the zero-sum mentality by arguing that security at the end of the day is very much related to development," Wang said.

Over the past four years, China has consistently promoted the implementation of the GSI. By the end of 2025, the initiative has received support and appreciation from more than 130 countries and regions, as well as international organizations, and has been explicitly incorporated into more than 140 bilateral and multilateral documents at home and abroad.

China's Global Security Initiative shifts paradigm away from traditional zero-sum mentality: expert