THE IMPARTIAL OBSERVER
The Paradox of China Safari
HANK ESO
Sunday 25 March 2012
The paradox of the China Safari is that Africa stands to benefit. Yet, despite
the time-honored admonishment
“don’t
look gift horses in the mouth,” it would be utter folly for Africa not to try
and decipher the real motives behind China’s unconcealed and burgeoning
interests in Africa.
Being
in dire straits, Africa would presumably follow any benefactor that offers it
hope. But a critical question needs to be answered; will Africa, like a marooned
and thirsty itinerant, drink from a poisoned chalice, just to satisfy its
economic thirst and developmental needs?
For long, there has been
a raging debate as to what China’s relentless economic and trade incursions mean
for Africa. Those will who read or sense altruistic motives or assistance
“without strings attached”, evidently
buy into the Chinese mantra. But
skeptics abound; and if concerns persist about China’s ubiquitous presence in
Africa and its growing influence and visibility, such concerns are legitimate.
Indeed, those who fear that with China, Africa is once again about to be
taken to the cleaners - as erstwhile colonialists did- may not be off the mark.
Parenthetically, Africans, especially the political leaders are unwilling
to address this issue openly, either bilaterally or collectively.
China’s
presence in Africa is huge and can be discerned in tangible terms.
China and its public and private sectors economic interest teams are
anchored in parts of Africa, where there are bountiful natural resources
--minerals, timber, copper, uranium to harvest and certainly, in the oil fields
of Libya, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gabon,
Equatorial Guinea and Angola.
Though late comers to the
Official Development Assistance (ODA)
game, Chinese teams have not embarked on their Africa Safari forays empty
handed. They bring gifts; irresistible gifts.
In Zaire they built a gleaming stadium; and in Guinea Bissau, a
futuristic National Assembly building. They have built stadiums of various
shapes and sizes all over Africa, at no cost – not even labor costs—to the
recipients. But the mother of all
gifts to Africa is the new and impressive Africa Union Headquarters in Addis
Ababa (see photo to the right).
Africa has been duped and
looted before by colonial masters, with supposedly altruistic but nonetheless
cynical and self-serving agendas.
In Uganda, Asians took over the country until Idi Amin kicked them out.
The United States, which like China was never a colonial power has forged
its own alliances in Africa, wielding at once, a big stick as it dishes out the
carrots. But unlike China, the U.S.
at least, makes no pretenses about declaring and protecting its strategic
interests. China, with the best
intentions, utilizes subterfuge and diplomatic legerdemain.
Those who have argued that aids dependency sets Africa back are not wrong.
And it is hard to see how Africa can abandon the yoke of colonialism only
to acquiesce to the yoke of economic subjugation. But the risk is real. Chinese
interests and trade investments in Africa reportedly quintupled over a six-year
period; rising from $10 billion in 2000 to $55 billion in 2006.
When the Libyan crisis began in February
2011, China had well over 18,000 of its national in the oil sector alone that it
needed to evacuate before the NATO airstrikes commenced.
In Sudan, China’s economic interest in the country is so huge and
compelling that its stance in the determining the right course to pursue
vis-à-vis
the political direction of the country, was utterly blurred.
But it has to be admitted also, that whereas erstwhile
colonial leaders in Africa came, saw, reaped and plundered Africa, without any
meaningful investments, China has come with perhaps a more sophisticated
approach, which seems more acceptable and palatable to Africans.
China comes with gifts – tangible and discernible gifts – stadiums,
political edifices, roads, rail lines, etc.
But they also arrive in Africa, turn-key ready; with the completely
knocked down parts for such structures as well as the experts and laborers.
On another plain, China has been building and launching satellites for
African countries, Nigeria being the latest recipient of such service; albeit,
without any arrangement to transfer the technical knowhow for building such
satellites. So far, China has set
up some 142 agricultural projects across the African continent, complete with
fourteen specialized agricultural technology demonstration centers.
Nevertheless, I have previously on this space cautioned about the pitfalls of
dubious foreign economic forays into Africa, even those with presumably
charitable slants (See
“Strangers
in Africa
bearing gifts”).
But
the
paradox of the China Safari is that Africa stands to benefit in real terms. Yet
and despite the time-honored admonishment
“don’t look gift horses in the mouth,” it would be utter folly for Africa
not to try and decipher the real motives behind China’s unconcealed and
burgeoning interests in Africa. Is there
really equity? Or is China taking
out more than it is investing in Africa, and garnering a lopsided return on its
marginal investment in Africa. Is the Chinese approach a loss leader – to
placate before it strikes?
In fairness to China, it has aligned with and engaged Africa
openly, the 2006 China-Africa Summit being a case in point. In this regards,
China is only following suit, considering that there is the Commonwealth Summit
led by Britain; the Franco-Africa Summit, convened by the French; as well as the
Japan-Africa Summit and the India-Africa Summit.
But there are growing concerns about China’s role in Africa, most of
which are well-documented. A recent
well researched exposé, titled
China Safari: On the Trail of Beijing’s Expansion
in Africa. by
Serge Michel and Michel Beuret, delves into the opacity of Chinese policies and
contracts in Africa; the unwillingness of Chinese firms to discuss compliance
with labor laws; its willingness to
do business with nations led by autocrats who violate international humanitarian
laws and oppress their populations.
In sum, the book points to the use of subterfuge and lack of transparency in
nearly all the Chinese ventures in Africa. Yet
some see China’s assistance to Africa as agenda-free and a once-in-a-century
opportunity for Africans to redress past colonial abuses, neglect and rape of
their continent.
Obfuscated as it seems China’s ambitions in Africa is not
glaring and therefore hard to grasp or find. But there also seems to be some
balance out there; unless it is sufficiently deceptive that most observers are
fooled and therein lays the China-Africa cooperation paradox. For its part,
China claims it has no political agenda in Africa, which explains its reticence
and unwillingness to insinuate itself into domestics affairs of sovereign
African nations, no matter how bad the conditions are. Meanwhile, it is no
longer a matter of conjecture that China is set to reap major windfall in
concessions on the basis of quid pro quos,
where in return for humongous contracts to build badly needed infrastructure,
China gets unfettered access to Africa’s mostly unexploited markets and
resources such as oil, uranium, cobalt, copper, copper, cobalt, coltan, gold and
timber.
Without question, Africa’s place is a difficult one to be in,
having been previously suckered. Hence Africa, must with some circumspection,
dine with China, with the proverbial
“long spoon”; keep an eye open, while sleeping with a presumptive enemy;
and understand that overall, it bears
the greater burden and risk in its evolving relations with China, which is a
global power with enormous clout and resources.
If there is a marginally comforting side to the China-Africa
tango, it might be as Serge Michel and Michel Beuret concluded, the mere fact
that quite unlike the West, China has done something that is both discernible
and invaluable by showcasing an Africa that is not
“condemned to everlasting stagnation;”
and more importantly, by offering “Africa
a future — or at least a vision of the future — that would have been
inconceivable just a decade ago.” Nonetheless,
only time will tell if the China-Africa dalliance will in end be a long and
consummated relationship or prove to be a one-night stand.
With neither anger nor partiality, until next time, keep the law, stay
impartial, and observe closely.
--------
Hank Eso
is a columnist for
Kwenu.com.
His observations on Nigerian, African and global politics and related issues,
has appeared in various print media, journals and internet-based sites.
©
Hank Eso, 25 March 2012.
Email:
hankeso@aol.com