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West fuels false narrative of China-Africa ties
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WHILE China and Africa are dedicated to promoting their six-decade-long friendship and partnership, some Western media have portrayed China’s engagement on the continent in a negative light.
Many observers allege that China is conducting “neo-colonialism” in Africa by dumping cheap consumer goods, exploiting resources, or supporting what they call autocratic or corrupt regimes without shouldering responsibilities for democracy and human rights.
In order to make their case, they rely on exaggerations or even falsehoods. But to China and African countries — both suffered invasions from Western powers — these accusations cannot affect the tested brotherhood.
China’s involvement in Africa is not a new phenomenon as claimed by the West. Since its founding in 1949, the People’s Republic of China has been engaged in Africa and engagement has become more active since the 1960s, when many African states broke free from colonialism.
Now China has emerged as Africa’s largest trading partner, with trade, investment and contract projects as three key aspects of economic relations.
As a less developed region, Africa needs contributors to its development, not masters telling them what to do and what not to do. Sadly, this is exactly what some Western politicians are proud of.
No political conditions attached
Setting itself clearly apart from the European colonial past and Western policies, China promotes its presence in Africa on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. China has been providing aid, debt relief and low-interest loans to bolster growth, without any political conditions attached.
To reduce Africa’s burden, China had canceled 20 billion yuan (US$3.2 billion) in African debt by the end of 2013. China also helps establish modern manufacturing and agricultural system to enhance the continent’s own development capacity. China gives aid to every African country with which it has diplomatic ties, rather than only eying Africa’s resources.
Earnest consulations
Inevitably, as relations between Chinese and African companies grow rapidly, problems concerning labor conditions, environmental practices and employment may arise. China has always been willing to conduct earnest and equal consultations with African countries to resolve these issues.
Before leaving for his visit to Africa, Premier Li Keqiang urged Chinese companies to strictly abide by local laws and regulations, hold themselves accountable to the quality of contracted projects and goods and to consumers, and to shoulder due responsibility to communities and the environment.
Such remarks would be impossible if China really pursued a colonialist path as some countries did.
While there is no strategic rivalry between China and the West in developing Africa, pointing fingers at China’s partnership with Africa could disturb the region’s healthy development without providing any concrete benefits.
Unless an external engagement can bring food, security and economic development — which are forms of human rights — to the African people, there is no justification for pride. When China joins hands to find a new development path that suits both China and African countries, Western prejudice should be thrown into the dust bin of history.
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