From TheChinaPost. Opinion piece by Frank Ching.

On his trips last week to both Kenya and Ethiopia, U.S. President Barack Obama openly discussed human rights, including the rights of homosexuals.

It was a grand display of upholding American values despite China’s growing inroads into the continent, to such an extent that China’s trade with Africa now is triple that of the U.S. whereas, only 10 years ago, it was half the U.S. level.

Although he was clearly seeking African support, Obama did not pull his punches, warning Kenyans about their country’s “culture of corruption” and berating “bad traditions” such as female genital mutilation.

At a joint news conference, Obama supported gay and lesbian rights while Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta insisted that “for Kenyans today, the issue of gay rights is really a non issue.”

In Ethiopia, where the governing party and its allies won 100 percent of seats in parliamentary elections in May, Obama suggested a need for democratic reforms…and proposed “additional space for journalists, for media, for opposition voices.”

On the surface, at least, Obama got his message across in both Kenya and Ethiopia while maintaining mutual goodwill. His African heritage no doubt helped.

Such a discussion is unimaginable for Chinese leaders, who have a policy of noninterference in other countries and who oppose any perceived American lecturing on human rights or democracy.

Although China was not mentioned, its presence was clearly felt. Responding to a question, Kenyatta denied that Kenya was “looking East” but said that “we are looking to partner with our friends, old and new.”

The Chinese state media clearly saw the Obama trip as a challenge. A Global Times commentary said its purpose was to offset “China’s growing influence and recovering past U.S. leverage.”

Mainland China’s official government-controlled Xinhua news agency declared: “The Obama administration’s foreign policy toward Africa, like that of his white predecessors, has been a total failure.”

It concluded: “African people were fooled by the West before, they will not be fooled again. If the U.S. and the West continue to bring destruction and violence to Africa … they will be doomed throughout Africa in the end.”

Such diatribes suggest weakness, not strength. Let the facts speak for themselves. Africans can make their own decisions regarding whether to opt for democracy or authoritarianism.

Read more at TheChinaPost.