In War and Peace, Tolstoy informs us that a gentleman would court a young woman by going often to her house and spending entire days there. Flirtation has not changed much since Tolstoy's time, and judging by recent actions, China seems to be in the middle of an intensive and apparently successful courtship of Africa. This week, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will be taking a tour of seven African nations. This follows a week-long visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao in April (his second in three years) and a tour by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing in January. Most African nations are all too welcome to receive this flattering attention from a rising power.
China's interest in Africa is not recent. In the 1960s, it gave large amounts of aid to fellow revolutionary and socialist regimes and movements in the region. This support was not only an expression of ideological fraternity but also a careful diplomatic strategy, one that paid off nicely. Africa's support allowed the mainland to be finally recognized in the United Nations in 1972 (thereby displacing Taiwan); China's engagement with Africa isolated Taiwan diplomatically – a condition that the People's Republic is determined to maintain.
Nowadays, China's interest in Africa is more economic. With rapid industrialization, China's thirst for oil has led it to sign numerous treaties with and make massive investments in African nations. Trade and investment have increased substantially. CNOOC, the same CNOOC whose attempt to buy the US oil company Unocal was rebuffed by an excessively alarmed Congress, completed a deal with Nigerian oil companies last year worth US$2 billion. Chinese companies are scattered throughout Africa, searching for minerals and oil. Infrastructure has been funded by China from Angola to Zimbabwe.
Like a Russian count determined to marry a prestigious and wealthy heiress, China sees nothing but economic and geopolitical gain in its increased cooperation with Africa. But has Africa benefited equally? Or has it become the wealthy heiress who, falling for a dashing but knavish count, is foolishly giving away her fortune?
In the short run, China's trade and investment with Africa is beneficial, because, if nothing else, few other countries are paying much attention to it. Africa's infrastructure is often found to be decrepit; China's investment in this area is sorely needed. China's hunger for natural resources has raised the prices and as a result increased the nations' income.
Yet, like an heiress who finds only short-term joy in an unwise marriage, Africa's actions may lead to long-term distress. Unlike other nations such as the United States, China turns a blind eye to Africa's many human rights violations and undemocratic practices, one of the reasons why China has been successful in making deals with Africa in the first place. This in turn weakens the ability of the United States and its allies to use their economic power as leverage to force political reforms on African regimes. China's presence also weakens the ability of IMF and other institutions to introduce much needed reforms in transparency and policy. Indeed, the harmful effect that China has on reform can seen best in its support for Zimbabwe and its dictator, Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwe has managed to survive despite international isolation and economic sanctions, primarily because China, its major ally, has staunchly defended it in the name of national sovereignty and economic gain (for China).
China's courtship of Africa may bring short-term relief to the poor continent, but could prove to be Africa's disadvantage in the long run. Love hurts, especially when the suitor is out only for his (or her) own gain. But Tolstoy could have told you that.
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Comments
June 18, 2006 by Eric Lee,
Tolstoy could have, but you teased out important issues. China is already on the move also in Latin America and trying to improve its relations with SE Asian nations. Indeed, the threat China poses isn't so much a military one, but a diplomatic one. The US might need to buckle down and start working those diplomatic skills again. Even if these nations possess some doubt about China, the fact that the US is being arrogant turns them off more.
June 19, 2006 by Atta Addo,
So why exactly is China's geo-political and economic interests in Africa risky? Is it because you automatically blacklist China because of its communist leanings? For one thing,the China of old is definitely not the new China emerging today.Geo-political interests seem to be more worisome especially when it is geared towards galvanizing support for the one China agenda(Taiwan,Tibet etc)or the gross human rights violations associated with China.
However,I feel there is less cause for concern with China's economic agenda in Africa (or anywhere else) than you portray.China's growth and burgeoning prosperity requires that it broadens its investment base,acquires new sources of raw materials,and tap new markets wherever these may be.This, as far as I am concerned,is a legitimate pursuit unworthy of concern or possessing any inherent 'risk';unless one is speaking from the standpoint of US geo-political,strategic and economic interest--which doesn't seem to be your article's focus.Even so,the United States seems to be ahead of China in terms of securing energy sources,raw materials,key markets and making strategic alliances.
And how we all wish diplomatic pursuits were akin to courtship--then at least there will be tears for the jilted lover.The fact is that Africa is not new to 'being used and dumped'The US diplomatic engagement with Africa has long been driven by the same kind of self-interest you accuse China of--just as any effective diplomacy should be.The US has long benefited from Africa's mineral and oil wealth but beyond humanitarianism,Africa has not placed highly in US foreign policy for several decades.Since 1992 when the US mission to Somalia went awry,the US has consistently failed to intervene in Africa at several critical moments,from Rwanda to Sudan.
In short,much can be said about the dissimilarities between courtship and Kissinger-style diplomacy (or any credible brand for that matter) or in favor of China's right to pursue its legitimate national interests. One thing is for sure,Africa needs all the capital inflows it can get--whether from east or west--and African governments know too well to enjoy it while it lasts.