China As Friend And Partner To Africa

Written by Paul I. Adujie

Lawcareer2007@aol.com

New York, United States

There is a raging debate which has persisted for a while now. And it is of concern to me in a triumvirate sense. The outcome of this debate will have tremendous ramifications for Africans. Such outcome will reverberate throughout Africa for hundreds of years.

Foremost, is the impact any outcome of this debate, or contest, between America and Europe on the one hand. And China on the other, What the consequences on Africa will be. Secondly, what effect will this pressure being applied on China, have on China’s forays into Africa. But most urgent of all my concerns here, is whether African public intellectuals are attentively, following this debate or contest wills or spheres of influence between these superpowers , and whether we are seeking to influence the debate-contest and the eventual outcomes.

On August 11, 2009, an uproarious and rancorous event occurred in the Republic of Congo during public questioning of Secretary of State, Mrs. Hilary Rodham Clinton of the United States time in that central African country. Madam Secretary of State was said to have bristled testily, when the questioner appeared to have asked her, what her husband, the other world famous Clinton, thought of a reported meddling by the World Bank, in a contract or loan from the Chinese, which is reportedly being frustrated and truncated, because the World Bank has been pressuring the government of the Congo. I regret that Madam Secretary of State appeared to have faced what probably was a sexist questioning or mindset, or what is now said to be a mere misunderstanding arising from misinterpretation of a question rendered in French.

But here are the crucial questions which ultimately should be addressed by Washington in connection with the questioner‘s concerns. Why should any foreign institution or foreign government interfere in the internal affairs of the Congo? And why should the World Bank or the United States government or any of its departments or agency, be remotely connected in any way, to the reported attempt to thwart contracts between the Congo and China, two politically independent and sovereign nations?

In recent times, there have been this sorts of contracts and loan twists and turns in Nigeria-China interactions, so perhaps, we now know the sources?

And is Nigeria’s open dealings with China really the reason for the snub of Nigeria recently? But why must Nigeria, nay Africa, let Westerners have monopoly of doing “business” or exploiting Africa?

History is our witness, and the evidence establishes and demonstrates incontrovertibly that America and Europe do not have clean hands regarding the human conditions in Africa. History bear the facts of America and European horrid brutalities in Africa. How is it therefore, America and Europe are shouting the loudest about China’s forays into Africa. It is often said that those who seek equity or those who come to equity should come with clean hands. Regarding Africa, Americans and European hands are soiled most putridly . The preachments which we now are hearing from America and Europe, are mere pretentious and farcical preachments. America and Europe, are pots, and if anything, China is kettle, and it is oxymoronic to find pot calling kettle black.

For starters, America and Europe have been in Africa for almost a thousand years! And evidences about of how America and Europe have pauperized Africa by stripping the continent of tangible and intangible resources. Ranging from human beings during slave trade, to raw materials during industrial revolution and since. And more recently, stripping of Africa of gold, diamond, petroleum and cheap labor.

China was not involved in slave trade of Africans, China was not involved in colonialism of Africans, China was not involved in imposing foreign religious on Africans. China was not involved in imposing foreign languages, such as English, French and Portuguese on Africans. China has not been involved in the assassination of African political leaders. China has so far been doing business in Africa, in ways, not any way as egregious as Union Carbide in Bhopal India or Pfizer in Nigeria

The West does not brook competition for resources or business or hemispheric influence, and there lays the West scurrilous attack on China’s foray into the African continent. Only the gullible will believe that this is about Human Rights or Labor Practices or Best Business Practices, history has abundantly borne this out. In Nigeria, environmental pollution degradation by oil companies from America and Europe who have engaged in unbridled oil spillages and gas flaring. And Pfizer pharmaceuticals, which experimented its toxic concoctions on the innocents lives of Nigerian children in Kano City Nigeria, a thing Pfizer would never do in America or Europe! China so far, at least, has not engaged in the egregious practices for which many American and European companies in African and most of the developing world are infamous.

Africa did not benefit from Western slave trade and colonialism in Africa and Westerners can be sure that Africans are no retards unaware of Africa's best interests. On the other hand, African public intellectuals and of course, by what is African political leadership, should make it abundantly clear and certain to the Chinese that Africa need partners, friends and investors, but not re-colonization by anyone, from the west or east! The Westerners should hands off Africa. Let Africa chart her own course and path to progress, development and advancement. Africa have been stifled with strictures endlessly.

As for labor practices and pollution, oil exploration and exploitation in Nigeria and elsewhere has not shown that companies and corporations run by Westerners are interested in Best Business Practices or Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Good Citizenship. Persistent oil spillages in Nigeria. Ruinous medical experiment in Kano Nigeria by Pfizer and activities of such as the ones by Union Carbide in Bhopal India are clearly indictments against phony and pretentious claims by Western business in the Africa and the rest of the developing world! Westerners have not laid any good precepts, and China cannot do any worse than Westerners have done. It certainly better to have a wider pool of options of Foreign Direct Investments in Africa.

China invest wads and wads of dollars in America. China in effect underwrites a great deal of American public debt and why then is it, that America does not tell China to go stuff her dollars elsewhere, because of her infamous record on democracy and human rights?

And I will say it a million times if I have to. Africans should be very wary of persons, such as umbrella sellers who also doubles as meteorologist in the habit of always predicting or forecasting rains

Africans including Nigerians of course, should want to know why America accepts money from China without even a whimper or murmur inclination to hinge such on and about China ‘s political economic systems and without raising issues about democratic forms of governance and human rights etc

Essentially therefore, Africa has nothing to show for a thousand years of Africa’s contact with America and Europe, unless of course Western Imperialism is considered a benefit to Africa. History does show, that Africa’s contact with America and Europeans, have only brought to the average African, endless sorrows, tears and shedding of bloods. Weapons of conflicts in African nations are not supplied by China.

The scramble for Africa, the white man conquest of the African continent had no Chinese input or participation. And lest the world forgets, China was not invited to the so-called Berlin Conference in which Western powers “shared” African amongst themselves, as if pirates dividing illegal loots. The Irish-Anglo historian, Thomas Pakenham wrote a book which he recounted the scramble for Africa. He detailed interventions in African affairs, encapsulates the horrors and brutalities meted upon Africa by Westerners, still evident today!

China was not invited to it, and China played no roles when Victorian England, Germany and rest of Europe partitioned Africa. And arbitrarily assigned African peoples to different European so-called mother countries of Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain etc

And now, it is China, Russia and the United States ate scrambling anew, for needful resources to oil their economies, all puns intended! And Africa remains a great source of plethora of resources for industrial powers. Africans should determine their own fate; apologies to President Obama. America and Europe must hands off Africa and allow Africans to determine who are worthy and meaningful partners. Africans are able to determine who are the true friends and partners of the continent.

African public intellectuals and political leadership, must insist that only Africans may rightly determine where Africa’s interests will be served and served with commitment and dedication, and above all, with respect. Westerners have for centuries sought prestige, strategic resources at Africa’s expense. For centuries, Africa has served Western expediencies, and needs in human cargoes, gold and diamond now, petroleum oil, to lubricates Westerners’ economic engines, while leaving Africa in poverty, and worse, actually ridiculing Africa for being poor and backward.

A thousand of years is proof enough of the abysmal and dismal effects of appalling methods used by Westerners in Africa and Westerners’ interventions in Africa have had no measurable beneficial effects and the Chinese have never been involved nor played any roles or parts in the nefarious activities by Westerners which have degraded and dehumanized Africans and the human conditions on the African continent. I therefore do not see the why Africans must allow Westerners, these same Westerners, of whom we are thoroughly familiar.

Westerners with blood in their hands. Westerners who now pretend to be acting in Africa’s best interests, be warning Africa against the Chinese “invasion and takeover” of Africa! The truth of the matter is that, Africa have in the past been bullied and stampeded into plied for Westerner health, wealth and happiness for far too long, and if the relationship between Westerners and Africa were a marriage, Africa should have had or demanded for divorce or separation long ago. Africa should be free to have “an affair” with the Chinese! Westerners have taken Africa for granted for hundreds of years. So perhaps it is time for Africa to tell Westerners that papa got a brand new bag!

Why is China being criticized for having no political views, on local matters in African nations in which the Chinese are making some inroads? Put conversely, why does the United States accept money from China to finance American public debts without a whimper or murmur about China’s Human Right records or and Chinese non-adherence to the fine ideals of democracy, freedom, liberty and the rule of law? But instead, President Obama upon assuming office and inheriting the economic meltdown, actually singled China out and appealed to China to continue to have faith in the resilience of the American economy. As he urged China keeping the tap of more dollars flowing into the American economy. This, even though, China already has more than a trillion dollars invested in purchase of American public debt.

Why would Westerners ignore all the “evils” reeking off China’s clothes, when the bell tolls for Westerners? But, the same Westerners are in great trepidations and stampede to warn Africa off, of, Chinese pungent undemocratic ways, and perverse-putrid human rights abuses, only now, because China is giving the Westerners a run for their money in Africa? Western self-interests of course! In China’s forays into various African nations, Westerners finally have a fidelity challenge. Let the competition begin, I’ll say!

Robot  # 1 | 12.08.2009 07:59

Why would Westerners ignore all the “evils” reeking off China’s clothes, when the bell tolls for Westerners? But, the same Westerners are trepidations and stampede to warn Africa off, of, Chinese pungent undemocratic ways, and perverse-putrid human rights abuses, only now, because China is giving the Westerners a run for their money in Africa? Western self-interests of course! In China’s forays into various African nations, Westerners finally have a fidelity challenge. Let the competition begin, I’ll say! In recent times, there have been this sorts of contracts and loan twists and turns in Nigeria-China interactions, so perhaps, we now know the sources? And is Nigeria’s open dealings with China really the reason for the snub of Nigeria recently? But why must Nigeria, nay Africa, let Westerners have monopoly of doing “business” or exploiting Africa? ...Read the full article.

I Love Nigeria  # 2 | 14.08.2009 13:27

http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/world/asia/14china.html?permid=32#comment32 http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/world/asia/14china.html?sort=oldest&offset=2 August 14, 2009 China Warms to New Credo: Business First By MICHAEL WINES BEIJING — So far this week, the World Trade Organization has rebuffed China in an important case involving Chinese restrictions on imported books and movies. The Chinese government dropped explosive espionage charges against executives of a foreign mining giant, the Anglo-Australian Rio Tinto, after a global corporate outcry. And on Thursday, the government said it had backed off another contentious plan to install censorship software on all new computers sold here. Throughout its long economic boom, China has usually managed to separate its aggressive push into the global business arena from domestic politics, which remained tightly controlled by the Communist Party. But events this week raise the question of just how long it will be before the two meet. In each of those matters, politics and business collided, and business won. Business does not always win, and when it does, as in these cases, the reasons are as often as not a matter of guesswork. But in at least some high-profile matters, China appears to be facing the reality that the outside business world can be freewheeling and defiant when its profits are threatened. And so China’s authoritarian system may also have to evolve in ways its top leaders may not readily endorse. Beijing has a global footprint now, a consequence of its booming domestic growth and breakneck international expansion. And decisions that once were made on purely parochial grounds — like censoring Web sites, protecting the interests of its state-owned companies and restricting the flow of foreign news and entertainment into China — now have international ramifications. “This is a country in the middle of a big transition in its global role,” said Kenneth Lieberthal, a veteran China analyst now at the Brookings Institution. “They’ve always looked in the past to what’s good for China, and they still do. But for the first time, added to that is the consideration that they’re in the position of being rule-makers, not just rule-takers.” China’s leaders, he said, “are just beginning to learn how to handle that.” Consider the following: Since late May, Beijing’s Industry and Information Technology Ministry had more or less insisted that so-called anti-pornography software, called Green Dam-Youth Escort, would eventually be packaged with every newly purchased computer. On Thursday, the ministry backed down, calling the requirement a “misunderstanding” spawned by badly written rules. Officials offered no other explanation, but the retreat followed weeks of protests by outsiders — from foreign computer makers to foreign governments to foreign corporate branch offices — that said the software stifled free speech, compromised corporate security and threatened computers’ stability. Computers are not the only example. This week, the World Trade Organization told Beijing that it could no longer force providers of American books, music and films to distribute their goods through a local partner. Foreign companies saw that rule as an impediment to reaching a broad Chinese audience with their products. The Chinese market is flooded with pirated CDs and DVDs whose contents’ creators receive no money. The Chinese legally may appeal the decision, but the foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, indicated in a Geneva speech that simply ignoring it was not an option. China worked for years to join the global trading system and is bound, as much as other nations are, by its rules. “China will never seek to advance its interests at the expense of others,” Mr. Yang said, according to Reuters. Similarly, Chinese prosecutors appeared this week to retreat from earlier statements that they would prosecute employees of Rio Tinto as spies for stealing state secrets. While the espionage allegations were not spelled out, they were apparently related to delicate commercial negotiations over the price of China’s imports of iron ore for its steel mills. Rio Tinto executives have strongly denied the accusations, and both the United States and Australia said China’s actions could have both business and diplomatic repercussions. While the Rio Tinto employees still face lesser charges of bribery and theft of trade secrets, the espionage threats stirred broad unease among foreign companies operating in China, which feared that they could face persecution and closed-door trials for engaging in what much of the world would regard as bare-knuckle business tactics. Yet whether such instances represent trends or exceptions — or neither — remains a matter of some debate. Increasingly, many experts say, Chinese officials appear to be aware that their actions have far broader ramifications than they might have had even a few years ago. “Fifteen years ago, the mantra in China was, ‘We’re the victims of a system that’s stacked against us,’ ” said James V. Feinerman, an expert on Chinese law and policy at Georgetown University in Washington. China’s entry into the world trading system, he said, is slowly helping to change the nation’s view of itself from that of an outsider to an insider with a stake in the global system’s success. Other experts note, however, that what outsiders see as carefully calculated policy changes may in fact be nothing of the sort. The government’s decision to install censorship software on computers — and its subsequent reversal — is but one example, they say; the original proposal was probably pushed by a government clique that found itself outflanked once Internet users and foreign corporations began objecting to the plan. “Is China susceptible to international pressure? Of course it is,” said Charles Freeman, a leading China scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “China does have international interests, and they are impacted by what it does domestically,” he said. “There’s a constant battle between agencies over how much political capital to expend on international issues against domestic interests.” In any case, few experts are willing to stake their reputations on a prediction that Beijing’s recent softening of some positions signifies a strong trend. To the contrary, Mr. Feinerman said, China had undergone “a real pushback” in the last five years on some fronts, reasserting political dogma in some areas where commercial norms and the rule of law had begun to have more sway. And Jonathan Hecht, an expert on Chinese law at Yale University’s China Law Center, said that developments in China should be viewed against a history of great leaps forward on such matters, followed by equally great retreats. “I’ve given up predicting long-term trends,” he said. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/world/asia/14china.html?pagewanted=print

I Love Nigeria  # 3 | 19.08.2009 10:12

Once in a while, there is a gratifying email... in this thankless business, and I just could resisting sharing this, ha!:D To: Lawcareer2007@aol.com Date: Wed, Aug 19, 2009 9:34 am Nothing can be more factual than your standpoint on this vexed issue of American intervention on Africa’s China relationship, albeit negatively. Do not relent, keeping on drumming the hard facts out for our people to understanding some of these things that are lee ways for our industrial and economic independence. Thanks once more for that illuminating piece. Name deleted for privacy concerns.

I Love Nigeria  # 4 | 19.08.2009 16:39

Dear Nigerians! There is an important debate going! I wish that we will all join! This is a major issue and it crucially important to Nigerians and all Africans... it affects us more than the Americans... Come see how citizens of America are addressing this issue prodigiously! Here is an excerpt of among other things which are being said there! COME! http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/business/global/20ubs.html?permid=134#comment134 134. TD Seattle August 19th, 2009 3:21 pm The US government and other governments around the world should put pressure on the Swiss to end their secrecy regarding banking. The Swiss enable criminal enterprises and despots worldwide by allowing them to hide their ill gotten gains. This has been true for decades. Nazis, third world dictators, drug cartel leaders, organized crime and arms dealers all hide their money in Swiss banks. Under the laws of most civilized nations aiding and abetting criminal activity is the same as committing the crime itself. But not in Switzerland, where hiding the ill gotten gains of criminals has been raised to a high moral principle.

I Love Nigeria  # 5 | 13.10.2009 16:47

Paul Kagame lauds China s role in Africa slams West http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/afric...20slams%20West RWANDAN President Paul Kagame has defended China's programme of investment in developing African countries, while slamming Western nations and firms for polluting the continent. Kagame, who has won praise for running a disciplined administration and attracting foreign investors, told the German tabloid, Handelsblatt, that European and American relations with Africa had not helped the continent develop. "Our resources have been exploited and served others. Western companies have soiled Africa to a large extent and still do," he said. He added that toxic waste had been dumped in the Cote d'Ivoire and Somalia was being used by European companies as a garbage dump. Kagame said Africa had long been neglected in international relations, but opportunities were developing for partnerships on an equal footing with players such as China, India and Brazil. "The Chinese bring Africa what it needs: investment and money for governments and companies. China invests in infrastructure, builds streets," he said. Rwanda, ripped apart by genocide in 1994, is reviving its economy with spending on tourism, agriculture and mining. But after several years of strong growth, the country has been hit hard by the collapse in global trade and commodity prices. Kagame said Africa needed to start processing commodities at home, rather than just delivering them to other countries. "We are looking for real partnerships with foreigners who have the know-how and capital, but share this with local companies," he said. The Rwandan president, a former rebel leader whose fighters routed extremists responsible for the genocide, also touched on the issue of foreign development aid, which risked crippling development of the private sector. "There is a fundamental problem with development aid. It leads to dependence, the desire of the giving countries to control the receiving countries," he said. "I wish the western world would invest in Africa rather than give development aid. There is a need for aid - but it should be used to allow trade and to build up companies." Meanwhile, Green Movement democrats from all over the world have petitioned Kagame for the continued sabotage of the establishment of Green Democratic Party of Rwanda. In their petition, the Green Movement asked Kagame and his government to observe and respect all legal provisions relating to the formation and establishment of political parties in Rwanda. The petition, according to African Press Agency (APA), seeks the removal of all forms of obstacles, legal and extra legal, physical and political so that the party can be registered. The petition says relevant officials should be instructed "to do what is required so that the registration process is completed without undue delay." The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda was launched on August 14 this year in Kigali and its main goal is to bring about a real "genuine and authentic" political opposition in the country. It plans to win broad support through "democratically 'greening' of the country."