"BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), as part of the global public goods that China is giving to the world, happens to be a game changer," said Dennis Munene Mwaniki, executive director of China Africa Center at Africa Policy Institute. He believes BRI has enabled many African nations, which have long been victimized and plundered, to develop and thus bringing them to the "table" at international stages rather than just staying on the "menu".

"So that has made some people unsettled," Mwaniki said.

This table vs menu metaphor is satirizing U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's recent comment at the Munich Security Conference. When responding to a question about US-China tensions, Blinken said: "if you're not at the table in the international system, you're going to be on the menu." The comment drew wide criticism as many believed it was a reflection of a zero-sum mentality.

"My advice to my fellow brothers from Africa is, we shouldn't fall into a trap on this issue of 'debt trap'. These narratives are being pushed by people who want to see us continue to be underdeveloped," Mwaniki said.