Addis Ababa — US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said on Thursday that African countries should weigh Chinese loans carefully, while adding that Washington was not trying to keep Chinese investment away from the continent. Tillerson, a former ExxonMobil CEO, is seeking to bolster security alliances on a continent increasingly turning to Beijing for aid and trade. The top US diplomat may also seek to smooth relations after US President Donald Trump reportedly dismissed some African nations as "shit-hole countries" in January. Trump later denied making the comment. "We are not in any way attempting to keep Chinese dollars from Africa," Tillerson told a news conference in the Ethiopian capital during his first diplomatic trip to the continent. "[But] it is important that African countries carefully consider the terms of those agreements and not forfeit their sovereignty." Though the US is the leading donor of humanitarian aid to Africa, China surpassed the US to become Africa’s larges...
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