China-US Spat over Africa's Center for Disease Control

 The South China Morning Post published on 16 December 2020 an article titled "After US Retreat, China Breaks Ground on Africa's CDC Headquarters Project" by Jevans Nyabiage.

The United States initially took the lead in assisting Africa with creating in Addis Ababa the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  China was part of the effort, subsequently agreeing to build the CDC headquarters free of charge.  This raised US concerns following China's construction free of charge of the African Union headquarters building and a credible report that it then secretly downloaded for several years sensitive information originating at the headquarters.  The US charged this could also happen at the Chinese-built CDC headquarters.  

US Unhappy with China's Plan to Build Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Ventures Africa posted on 10 February 2020 an article titled "The US and China Fight over Rights to Build the Headquarter for the Africa CDC" by Damilola Ekpo.

The United States has been the principal financial backer of the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention and assumed it would build the $80 million headquarters in Ethiopia. China reportedly stepped in and said it wanted to build the structure. An unnamed US administration official said China stepped in and offered to construct the headquarters so that it could steal scientific data as it allegedly did after it built the African Union conference center in Addis Ababa.