Government and Politics

China and Africa: A healthy relationship?

The China-Africa connection deepens…

The prevailing narrative? Once upon a time, Africa suffered abuse, exploitation and mismanagement by Western colonialist powers. Enter: China, a developing country with a similar history of imperialist aggression (and subsequent liberation) that promises new hope for a “south-south cooperation” in which Africa can bypass “northern” hegemonic superpowers and forge its way to better infrastructure, good governance and greater riches, all in the name of “mutual benefit” with the PRC. But is this new partnership really sustainable? Or will it crumble as a result of greed, self-interest and bad policy?

To provide some context to China’s involvement in Africa, here’s a rundown of the biggest stories from this past week:

• Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong and South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka co-chaired the third meeting of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission on Monday, vowing to further all-round cooperation. Zeng proposed that China and South Africa strengthen political consultation and enterprises exchanges and deepen the cooperation on human resources, agriculture and poverty eradication, so as to realize the agreements reached by leaders of the two countries. (”China, South Africa vow to further cooperation,” Xinhua, 9/24/07)
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ENA) - A loan agreement amounting to 208 million USD was signed here on Monday between the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) and the Export Import Bank of China. During the agreement signing ceremony it was disclosed that the loan will be used to finance the expansion of Mugher Cement Enterprise and the construction of Fincha-Amerti-Neshe multi-purpose projects that include hydro-power generation and irrigation. (”Ethiopia - CBE signs $208 mil USD loan agreement with Export Import Bank of China,” EthioBlog, 9/24/07)
• A special train carrying 250 tons of aid materials donated by the Chinese government left the Khartoum Railway Station on Monday for Sudan’s restive western region of Darfur. This is one part of a total of RMB 80 million Chinese support to the Darfur region, which have been delayed by anti-government riots and tribal clashes since February 2003. (”Roundup: Special train carrying Chinese aid leaves for Darfur,” People’s Daily, 9/25/07)
• China is preparing to send more farmers to Africa as rural labourers find it increasingly difficult to find jobs in the nation’s urban centres, state press reported. At a meeting in southwest China’s Chongqing city, the head of China’s Export-Import Bank Li Ruogu pledged to help finance African emigration as part of the city’s urbanisation scheme, the People’s Daily reported on its website. (”China ready to send more farmers to Africa,” Africast, 9/20/07).
• China has signed a deal to loan the Democratic Republic of Congo $5bn to develop infrastructure and mining. Infrastructure Minister Pierre Lumbi said the money will be spent on building roads, hospitals, health centres, housing and universities. In exchange, China will get rights to DR Congo’s extensive natural resources, including timber, cobalt and copper. (”China opens coffers for minerals,” BBC News, 9/18/07)

I found two opinion pieces that more closely examine the relationship between China and Africa.

Howard W. French comments specifically on China’s $5 billion loan to Congo, saying that “China is redrawing the economic map in central and southern Africa” by bringing in big infrastructure where the region needs it most. But can it last?

Brendan Boyle focuses on China’s involvement in South Africa. He argues that African countries must unite and assume responsibility for its future, rather than compete against each other for China’s political or economic backing, which could prove unstable and dangerous to the peace and prosperity of the continent.

“The Chinese and Congo take a giant leap of faith“
The International Herald Tribune
By Howard W. French
Sept. 21, 2007

The $5 billion that China is plunking down promises a great leap forward for Congo, and this begins with about 3,200 kilometers of new rail lines and an equivalent amount of new roads. The money will also pay for 31 hospitals and 145 smaller health care centers, along with two large new universities and 5,000 new government housing units.

The Chinese promise not to dilly-dally, too. Most of this will be accomplished in a mere 36 months, they say, and I for one believe them, having seen the pace of change even in the most remote Chinese backwaters. If war or political upheaval doesn’t get in the way, Congo stands to experience more progress in 36 months than it has in 47 years of independence from Belgium, or as a colony of Brussels for that matter.

Lest anyone assume anything different, I hasten to wish the Chinese and their new Congolese partners well. Africa desperately needs a hundred flowers to bloom.

The hard questions that merit posing, however, just won’t go away. They will be proven one way or another. China’s mastery of infrastructure is unquestioned, but can there be lasting development in Africa without big strides in political development, and without the emergence of strong civil societies?

What is the good of a university without books, or hospitals without medicines? Africa, sadly, has plenty of experience with this question, and nowhere more so than Congo, where foreigners with a hunger for the country’s minerals, dreams of riches and a willingness to turn a blind eye to ugly political realities have visited before.

I think of the Inga Dam, built by the United States in the early part of Mobutu’s regime and said to be able to power most of Africa, but now unable to keep even the capital lighted. I think of a towering Information Ministry tower built by the French, where one must walk up countless stairs for lack of a functioning elevator.

I think of V.S. Naipaul, who wrote unforgettably about this same country in “A Bend on the River”: “Neither the president who had called it into being nor the foreigners who had made a fortune building it had faith in what they were creating. But had there been greater faith before?”

Boyle from the Johannesburg-based Sunday Times expresses his doubts about China’s “non-interference” policy of foreign aid, loans, export credits and trade with Africa. He says there is a common theme among African delegates who feel that China’s interest in the region is “benign” compared to the world’s ex-colonial powers. But he cautions African governments and businesses to manage their new resources carefully. “Africa should contain its gratitude and drive the best bargain it can for a continent that needs to follow and not just fuel Chinese development.”

“Beware the ties that bind China and Africa“
By Brendan Boyle
The Times
September 24, 2007

Africa and its individual countries clearly stand to benefit massively from China’s spectacular growth, but there is nothing about China’s pursuit of resources that will automatically protect this continent from the abuse it suffered when European nations began their scramble for Africa.

There is a danger in the acceptance of China’s largely unconditional trade.

When an economically weak nation such as Zimbabwe pawns its mines to a foreign government in exchange for short-term relief, and without a clear plan to redeem the pledge, sovereignty is at least weakened.

In contrast to the deeply self-serving interventions of the European colonial powers and the geo- political opportunism of the US during the Cold War, China promises a policy of supportive non- interference that is music to the ears of a Mugabe or an Omar Bongo in Gabon.

Professor Alaba Ogunsanwo, of the University of Lagos in Nigeria, said bluntly it was up to Africa to ensure that the revenue from trade with China went towards the sustainable development of its societies and not into the pockets of its elites.

China might be new to this game, but Africa is not. In their understandable enthusiasm to break old and unwelcome ties to the West, many African states seem to forget that loans might be interest-free in fiscal terms, but rarely in political terms.

The colonial powers came, took what they wanted, and left little more than inappropriate traditions and their trappings. The absurd morning dress and ancient Rolls Royce in which Mugabe arrives each year to open his country’s Westminster-style Parliament is just one example.

There is a risk that the competition for China’s business will encourage Beijing to play a poor Peter off against an even poorer Paul. African governments have an opportunity to ensure, together, that this does not happen again.

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Also, see this great report about China’s role in Africa and in global dam building, written by Peter Bosshard, policy director for the International Rivers Network: “China’s Role in Financing African Infrastructure,” May 2007.

I will be interviewing Peter for an upcoming podcast, so stay tuned!

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For more information about the China-Africa alliance:

• The Forum on China-Africa Co-operation is a platform established by China and friendly African countries for collective consultation and dialogue and a cooperation mechanism between the developing countries, which falls into the category of South-South cooperation.

[tags] China, Africa [/tags]

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