Bangladesh, May 7 -- In a revealing interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi offered a blunt assessment of Americas declining influence in Africa. Tshisekedi noted that Chinas dominance on the continent is not necessarily the result of Beijings growing power, but rather a symptom of Americas retreat. His observation is backed by clear data: in 2000, the United States was Africas largest trading partner. Today, Chinas trade with Africa is more than four times larger than that of the US.

Tshisekedis words strike at the heart of an uncomfortable truth. While the US has hosted only two US-Africa Leaders Summits – one in 2014 and another in 2022 – China is pr...