China in Africa: The lies, the half-truths and facts

At the global roundtable on African affairs and international diplomacy, the debate continues on China’s role in Africa’s development.

From the engaged, yet visibly antagonistic Western perspective, one frequently hears the outcry against Chinese neo-colonialism and indiscriminate foreign investment trends.

While the global North and China vie for top trade partner position in Africa, many people question whether Africa has become a political pawn in an imperial war.

However, what are the Chinese and, more importantly, the African communities saying about the growing presence of China in Africa?

Mandated to act on human rights and social justice in African communities, Pambazuka Press recently put forth a contribution to this discussion with its latest publication, Chinese and African Perspectives on China in Africa.

The book is this week’s recommended read, aimed at giving macrocosmic perspective to the daily intercultural experience throughout Africa.

Li Anshan of Peking University traces a shifting focus in the history of African studies in China from the politically driven beginnings of translating major world references on Africa to the recent proliferation of university programmes and international academic exchanges.

Specifically noted are the early commitment of the Chinese Communist Party to studying Africa and supporting national liberation movements in the 1960s and 1970s.

There, too, was the founding of the Chinese Association of African Studies (1979), the Chinese Society of African Historical Studies (1980), and the broadened focus in academia and government beyond economics, law, international relations, socialism, and democratisation in Africa to an action-oriented Forum on China-Africa Co-operation in 2000.

Similarly, Zeng Qiang traces the history of international relations between China and Africa with the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and China’s subsequent policy toward independent African nations of non-interventionist, peaceful co-existence.

He offers concrete examples of China’s contributions to agriculture education, health, infrastructure and ICT sectors across the continent and the equally important debt write-offs that have taken place in the past 10 years.

Sanusha Naidu offers a valuable analysis of the underlying economic factors in Sino-African relations and poses the essential question as to whether China’s engagement in Africa ultimately aims at increasing stabilisation.

Highlighting the Chinese commodities crunch set against the global backdrop of the American-led global economic implosion, Naidu makes it plain that the Chinese interest in Africa is resource-driven, with nearly 80 per cent of Chinese imports classified as oil or petroleum-based since 2000.
Nancy Dubosse offers a similar summary based upon the Chinese divergence from national development agendas in aid dependent nations like Angola and Zambia to focus on the extractive sector.

Naidu also argues that the consolidated Chinese foreign investment in Africa shows no indication of decline.

She reminds the reader to consider not only the prioritisation that China places on its relations with the global North, but also the class-based division that has increased via Chinese engagement with strongly entrenched political elites.

Predicting an increase in the general outcry for social justice in the years to come, one infers that China will continuously need to factor in political instability and restructure investment to the changing political landscape.

While covering China in relation to Darfur, Wien Ping aptly identifies US foreign policy, oil dependency and diplomatic bullying as principal factors in the elevation of this conflict over others in Africa, as well as the concern over Chinese-Sudanese diplomatic relations.

However, he does not fail to detail the extensive investment made by China in Sudan since 1959, most notably in oil pipelines and infrastructural development, which enabled Sudan to shift from a net oil importer to a crude oil exporter, at over 80 per cent of total exports.
While it still reads as defensive of Chinese foreign policy, the section brings facts to the table for consideration, such as China’s promotion of diplomacy over sabotage through economic sanctions.
Chinese and African Perspectives on China in Africa offers additional country case studies, noting China’s support of the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front and its strengthened bilateral relations with Ethiopia since 1991, which have led to infrastructural development for Ethiopia and market diversification for China.

Relations in Kenya, Nigeria, Mozambique and Angola provide diverse examples of the duality of the African experience with China that are essential for those policy makers who wish to contextualise their present negotiations.

Ultimately, what the book demands of us is to call into question, not only the motives, capacity, and record of the Chinese to impact the course of Africa’s development or destabilisation, but prepare us to monitor the moral and political will of our leaders to efficiently utilise the capital that China eagerly infuses into the continent.

To strive to have a broadly balanced outlook is a critical challenge. Chinese and African Perspectives on China in Africa can take us a step further towards obtaining that outlook.

The book was to be released officially on September 30. It will be available in Rwanda and Uganda through Fountain Publishers in Kampala.