Chinese in Africa: Friend or Foe?

In recent years, Africa has seen an extraordinary increase in Chinese participation in their continent, sparking disputes about whether they are friends or adversaries. To determine whether they are truly friends of Africa, one must analyze the benefits of their presence in the continent, or rather, the benefits of Chinese involvement in Africa. Other debaters, on the other hand, believe that China’s presence in Africa is not for the betterment of Africa, but rather puts the continent and its people in peril in a variety of ways (Sun, Yun, and Africa Growth Initiative, 24). It is from this angle that people feel that Chinese are enemies of Africa. There are aspects that those who hold this view tend to look at, and are, the disadvantages of Chinese presence in Africa. Also, it is important to demonstrate how the absence of Chinese influence in Africa serves to benefit the continent but not the other way round. The discussion below takes the position that China in a Foe of Africa and its influence in the continent serves to harm Africans and not benefits them as some may tend to think. Thus, this paper intends to demonstrate how China is an enemy. In doing this, the paper will look at Chinese activities in Africa and how they will negatively affect Africa both on the short and long-term basis. In particular, Chinese have been involved in a number of activities which include but are not limited to infrastructural development, sending goods to Africa among many others. Also, it would be important to shed some light on some of the benefits, if any, of how Chinese benefits Africa.

Why Chinese are enemies of Africa

To start with, investment, Chinese have put a lot of effort in investing in Africa, and as such, one may tend to think that they are in Africa to assist. However, the reality is that these investments are in form of loans. Most countries in Africa are developing countries and have found it difficult to sustain their budget and at the same time set aside some for development. Thus, faced with these realities, they seek for loans to sustain their country. The World Bank has been for a long time acted as the chief financier of Africa, but Chinese are taking this position by translating it to investment. Consequently, it is not right to suggest that China is investing in Africa. Research demonstrates that real investment from Chinese to Africa account for a staggering one percent, the rest is made in form of loans (Sanusi, 11). It is from this perspective that makes it logical to state that Chinese are enemies of Africa and something must be done to address this issue so that the misconception of Chinese investing in Africa may be dealt with and prevent the friendship notion altogether.

In addition to that, Chinese do not respect Africans and are not in any way trying to solve their problem but instead, seek to employ their personnel in infrastructural projects. It is worth noting that 95 percent of the entire contract on investment that African government makes with the Chinese government has a clause that state that 70 percent of the professionals and personnel of the projects must include the Chinese. It is worrying to find out that although roads, bridges and other infrastructural development happen in Africa, Africans form the least proportion of those hired in those projects. Thus, the Chinese not only take the task of lending Africans but also form the greater percentage of those working on those projects. It is this fact that makes this group of people act as enemies and not friends of Africa (Sanusi, 11). Additionally, developments that Chinese make to African governments are in exchange for natural resources, something that deprived the continent of valuable assets with a potent of affecting future generations. The best way to explain this scenario is to paint Chinese as enemies of Africans that are determined to benefit from the continent but present themselves as good people.

Moreover, the cheap and low-quality goods of Chinese to Africa have negative consequences to the people of the continent. Firstly, the low quality has caused a public outcry among Africans. There is no African who enjoys buying low-quality items irrespective of the low prices that come with purchasing such products. In addition to that, the prices placed on those goods are so low in that most Africans prefer to buy them to local ones. In so doing, it becomes challenging for other competitors to match the Chinese in selling their goods; the long-term effect of this scenario is that there would be fewer Africans doing business in the presence of the Chinese (Power, Marcus, Giles, and May, 23). Therefore, one wonders the benefits of Chinese if this is the damage they cause to local business people and entrepreneurs. It is with this thinking and reality that makes it necessary to state that Chinese are not friends but enemies of Africans. In fact, African government ought to control the goods that are imported from China if they need to save local businesses. Additionally, it is worth noting that few products from Africa, if any, get to Chinese market. Therefore, Chinese are enemies of Africa whose presence in the market must carefully be monitored, lest, Africa risk killing their local businesses.

Another thing that makes the Chinese enemies and not friends is the reality that they have fallen short of following their mantra of non-interference and helping the head of state despite their human rights record. One of the misconceptions that Africans tend to believe is that Chinese can help them in acting like a superpower balance to the US. However, the reality is far from that, for instance, Chinese are on record for advising leaders from Sudan and Angola to change their leadership style in a bid to carry out international trade. Additionally, they are on record for advising those states to desist from targeting civilians and give them the right they deserve. Another bitter truth is that China refused to use her veto prestige in voting in the United Nations against the international criminal court from conducting an investigation on crimes against humanity conducted in Darfur (Power et al., 27). In so doing, the Chinese are stripping themselves of the benefits that Africa used to give them as partners who can act as better alternatives to the USA, a superpower that has been controlling Africa in many ways. It is this aspect that one can confidently say that Chinese are not in any way friends of Africa, but rather, come to the continent for their selfish interest and refuse to stand by Africa in her trying times.

There is also a growing trend where the Chinese people are relocating to Africa, and this comes with its negative effects. In particular, the last decade has seen about seven hundred and fifty thousand Chinese settling in Africa. The figure is expected to rise to millions in the coming years. Although there is no problem at all for the Chinese to settle in Africa, the worrying thing has been clashes between Chinese and local police. Instead of these supposed foreigners to abide by the law, it becomes pathetic to find out that they tend to behave in a superior fashion to Africa. No country can allow such thing to happen and the rift between Chinese co-national and Africans to continue to grow day in day out. In this respect, the Chinese act as enemies of Africa whose presence in Africa is not welcome. Although no country, especially, those from Africa can forbid Chinese nationals from immigrating to their continent, clashing with locals make them enemies of the continent and this call upon their presence to be carefully put into check (Power et al., 87). Therefore, it is not at all crazy for one to confidently say that Chinese are enemies of Africa whose presence and influence in the continent have negative effects.

Chinese are at the forefront in promoting neocolonialism in Africa, and if the continent is not willing to check this out, the Chinese are soon going to take over Africa or rather rip them of their natural resources. The roads that Chinese build are helping them to take natural resources from the continent. Additionally, Africa is acting as a source where the Chinese can easily access goods at under market prices. The goods which include but are not limited to timber, cotton, oil, and copper can be very expensive outside Africa. In addition to that, there is mushrooming of Chinese towns, in the same way, there were Apartheid farms during the regime in South Africa. Moreover, although Chinese have been able to employ few Africans, they pay too little, a salary that cannot be described as decent. Africans cannot boast of Chinese creating employment in Africa because of the small amount of money paid to them (King, 32). It is another reason that makes them enemies of Africa when their activities are carefully monitored.

The Chinese have been at the forefront in destroying the serene and the natural environment that Africa pride itself for and do not abide by conservation laws. In countries such as Liberia, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea, the Chinese are wiping out forests but still do not have reforestation program. In addition to that, Kenya is facing a lot of challenges dealing with Chinese who are killing elephants in a bid to acquire tusks. Therefore, the continent is facing another challenge of containing Chinese from destroying their environment. A million questions that one can ask from this reality is, if there is any need to continue allowing Chinese to impose their influence in Africa. On the other hand, African government needs to stand up against this vices as they risk making the continent unfit for future generations. Conserving the environment is essential to building a sustainable future, anyone destroying the environment, and in this case of Africa cannot be considered a friend of Africa (King, 43). Thus, the Chinese people are not only enemies of African environment, but also act as enemies of the continent.

China can be described as an enemy of democracy in Africa if the support it gives to autocratic leaders is anything to go by, for instance, in Zimbabwe and Sudan. There are some reasons that Bashir and Robert Mugabe, now ex-president, have been able to hold on to power for so long despite being unpopular at home. Chinese are proving to be one of the factors despite knowing very well that supporting such leaders is a move of legitimizing their suppression at home. For instance, the Chinese lend Zimbabwe and Sudan close to 10 to 15 percent of their national GDP every year. The percentage suggests that the Chinese are trying every way possible to ensure that the leaders remain in power for as long as possible. Although it is not good to meddle in the internal affair of any country, it also not good to support people who are suppressing and creating more problems in their countries as this acts as one way of legitimizing their oppression (Moyo, 67). In this regard, the time is ripe for the continent to start branding the Chinese as enemies of the continent for supporting dictators.

Lastly, the Chinese tops as suppliers of weapons in Africa, both for the government and for rebel groups. Additionally, China supply weapons to autocratic leaders in Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe. Peace and political stability are essential for the development of any place and country. In cases where both rebel groups and the government have a constant supply of weapons, it begs the question of whether the supplier is keen in promoting peace in those regions. Poverty cannot be done away where there are constant wars. For instance, in Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the population suffers from extreme poverty, yet no peace will foster development thanks to the ongoing war by the government and rebel movements. In addition to that, China imposes her harshest conditions on the poorest countries in Africa when lending money. These conditions include but are not limited to high-interest rate and a very short grace period. Although these countries are in need of such loans, the harshness that comes with the loans makes it difficult to treat Chinese as friends. If the Chinese are friends of Africa, then, the poorest countries need to have low-interest rates and a long grace period to stimulate their economic growth and development (Moyo, 81). All these form the many reasons that qualify Chinese to be enemies of Africa.

Chinese as Friends of Africa

On the other hand, there are positive aspects that can be attributed to Chinese in Africa. They include boosting infrastructural development, creating jobs, lending governments and making it possible for the poor to access goods at a lower price. Additionally, unlike western countries that put more conditions on supporting African countries to the point of meddling with their internal affairs, Chinese do not have such conditions and have effectively served as a balance to western countries’ hegemony (Moyo, 12). In this regard, the Chinese are friends of Africa.

Conclusion

The discussion presented above proves that Chinese are enemies of Africa and not friends. They have survived efficiently for so long in the continent and continue to influence it in many ways for they utilize the needs of Africans to their advantage. Some of the things that the Chinese have been able to carry out in Africa include but are not limited to putting up roads, buildings, and other infrastructure. Additionally, they are slowly taking the position of the World Bank as the Chief lenders to Africa. Moreover, there are rampant Chinese goods in the Market which are cheap as compared to those produced locally. However, all these come at a price to Africans and the continent as a whole. As noted above, the Chinese are eager to take away natural resources from Africa. The infrastructure is well placed to facilitate them taking away minerals and other resources out of Africa. Although their goods are cheaper, they are of low quality and threaten the existence of local businesses. Taking a look at their supposed investment, research reveals that it is only one percent that constitutes real investment, but the rest is in form of a loan that comes with harsh measures. Lastly, the Chinese have been number one in not only supporting autocratic leaders but also supplying weapons to both the government and rebel groups. Although there are positive attributes that the Chinese take credit for in Africa, the disadvantages override the positive effects. Thus, it is prudent for anyone to argue that Chinese are enemies of Africa and their continued influence risk putting the Continent in bad shape from many angles.

Works Cited

King, Kenneth. “China’s Aid and Soft Power in Africa.” The Case of Educafion and Training (2013).

Moyo, Dambisa. “Beijing, a boon for Africa.” The New York Times 27 (2012).

Power, Marcus, Giles Mohan, and May Tan-Mullins. China’s resource diplomacy in Africa: powering development?. Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.

Sanusi, Lamido. “Africa must get real about Chinese ties.” Financial Times 11 (2013).

Sun, Yun, and Africa Growth Initiative. “The sixth forum on China-Africa cooperation: new agenda and new approach?.” Foresight Africa: top priorities for the continent in 2015 (2015): 10.