Cane Nero
18th November 2010, 16:38
"Neocolonialism" label can not be pinned on China
The deepening of Sino-African relations has caused negative feelings on the part of some countries and individuals with ulterior motives. Some have theorized, "China is promoting neocolonialism in Africa". Strangely, African countries and the African media are not saying this, but the west is.
"Neocolonialism" label can not be pinned on China
Dr. Zhang Chun, Shanghai Research Center for International Issues
This year is China's "African Year." In the beginning of the year, the Chinese government issued the "Document concerning China's Africa policy," and State President Hu Jingtao and Premier Wen Jiabao both visited Africa. With the Third Sino-Africa Summit Meeting, strategic cooperation between China and Africa entered a new stage. The deepening of Sino-African relations has aroused negative sentiments on the part of some countries and individuals with ulterior motives. They theorize that "China is promoting neocolonialism in Africa". Strangely, it is not African countries or the African media saying this, but the west is. This is significant.
What is this "neocolonialism" theory then?
Criticism of China for "practicing neocolonialism" in Africa mainly touches on three points:
1. These people believe that as China rises economically, its need for energy is increasing by the day, therefore China's Africa policy is based on its need for strategic resources in this region, including oil and nonferrous metals.
2. They believe that after China "failed at dumping" textile products in the west, it is turning its focus to Africa. China has seriously impeded the development of the textile industry in Africa, causing factories to close down and workers to lose their jobs.
3.In order to expand its influence in Africa, China is promoting a "Beijing consensus" in Africa, giving unconditional aid to so-called rogue countries, without regard to democracy, human rights and the fight to stop dictatorships and the fight against corruption in Africa.
Obviously, the theory of "neocolonialism" is without a historical foundation or a factual foundation. The purpose of the west is to protect the status quo they have created in Africa and obstruct the development of Sino-African relations.
This "neocolonialism" theory does not have a leg to stand on
First of all, accusations that China is "looting" African energy resources are unfounded. Western countries own much higher stakes in African oil. Currently, 16% of the oil imported by the US comes from Africa; by 2015 this figure will be up 25%. In 2003 alone, energy authorities in the US invested $10b in African oil. American oil company Chevron's investment in Africa in the last five years has been $20b. Exxon-Mobil is laying a $3.7b oil pipeline, to pipe oil from Chad to the Atlantic coast in Cameroon. In addition, French company Total plans to invest $10b in Nigeria and $5b in Angola during the next five years for oil exploration. British Shell has owned 55% of the 30b barrels of oil reserves in Nigeria since 2002, and 40% of the 2.2m barrels of daily output in Nigeria. Compared with these, China's oil exploration operations in Africa are very small. China's oil imports from Africa are less than 1/3 of US oil imports from Africa. Although Sino-African oil trade is developing rapidly, it has always been open, transparent, and mutually beneficial.
Secondly, even westerners do not believe that China is "dumping" in order to take over the African market. The British media admits Sino-African trade and good and cheap Chinese consumer goods provide Africans with affordable commodities and actually improve the standard of living of local people. Namibia's "New Times" newspaper chief, Raj Munamawa, has got it exactly right by saying "China provides affordable consumer goods to black people that have been oppressed by racial segregationist policies all these years, therefore we like China. But some people monopolizing the economy don't like China, because the arrival of the Chinese makes it hard for them to make such high profits any more."
And finally, China has always adhered to the principle of not interfering in other countries' internal affairs and of respecting all countries' rights to choose the road of development that best suits them. China has never sought to transport its own value system or development model to African countries. On the contrary, western countries, mainly the US, in recent years have been pushing the implementation of policies of so-called "promotion of democracy," setting strict political values such as democracy, freedom, and human rights, as criteria for aid. A typical model is the American so-called "African growth and opportunity act."
Where is China different from the west
China did not implement "neocolonialism" in Africa. On the contrary, Sino-African cooperation satisfies the most urgent needs of Africa and promotes its sustainable development. Under the framework of the Sino-African cooperation forum, China waved RMB10.9b in debt for 31 African countries heavily in debt and most under-developed countries; offered zero-tariff treatment for 190 types of export commodities to China from 30 of the most under-developed African countries; and trained over 14,600 people in different fields for Africa. China also sent medical teams to 43 African countries, amounting to 16,000 person/times and helped treat 240m patients. All this made African people feel China's aid was sincere and selfless.
China's energy policy in Africa is implemented under the principle of mutual benefit. For instance, by end of 2003, PetroChina had invested $2.7b in Sudan, built 1506km in oil pipeline, a crude processing plant with an annual capacity of 2.5m tons, and several gas stations. This not only turned the Sudan from an oil importing country to an oil exporting country, but also ensured it has a complete oil industry system from exploration, production, refining and transport to sales. In addition, China has invested over $20m to help the Sudan build other facilities including schools and hospitals.
In comparison, western companies have explored for oil for over 50 years in Nigeria, but Nigeria to date is still exporting crude oil and importing gasoline. It does not have its own oil production and processing system. It is today still a primary resource exporting country. Furthermore, western oil companies are only bent on making money and pay no attention to infrastructure investment; their pipelines often break, causing crude oil to leak out and burst into flame, engulfing large areas of fields and forests. The thick smoke pollutes the air, soil, rivers and lakes. People living around the pipelines can't even find clean water to drink.
There are many similar examples. This is why this theory of "neocolonialism" arises not in Africa but in the west. Just like Premier Wen Jiabao said, "The label "neocolonialism" certainly can not be applied to China." It is significant that so many African leaders have gathered in Beijing. The theory of "neocolonialism" has burst on its own.
Discuss about neocolonialism.
The deepening of Sino-African relations has caused negative feelings on the part of some countries and individuals with ulterior motives. Some have theorized, "China is promoting neocolonialism in Africa". Strangely, African countries and the African media are not saying this, but the west is.
"Neocolonialism" label can not be pinned on China
Dr. Zhang Chun, Shanghai Research Center for International Issues
This year is China's "African Year." In the beginning of the year, the Chinese government issued the "Document concerning China's Africa policy," and State President Hu Jingtao and Premier Wen Jiabao both visited Africa. With the Third Sino-Africa Summit Meeting, strategic cooperation between China and Africa entered a new stage. The deepening of Sino-African relations has aroused negative sentiments on the part of some countries and individuals with ulterior motives. They theorize that "China is promoting neocolonialism in Africa". Strangely, it is not African countries or the African media saying this, but the west is. This is significant.
What is this "neocolonialism" theory then?
Criticism of China for "practicing neocolonialism" in Africa mainly touches on three points:
1. These people believe that as China rises economically, its need for energy is increasing by the day, therefore China's Africa policy is based on its need for strategic resources in this region, including oil and nonferrous metals.
2. They believe that after China "failed at dumping" textile products in the west, it is turning its focus to Africa. China has seriously impeded the development of the textile industry in Africa, causing factories to close down and workers to lose their jobs.
3.In order to expand its influence in Africa, China is promoting a "Beijing consensus" in Africa, giving unconditional aid to so-called rogue countries, without regard to democracy, human rights and the fight to stop dictatorships and the fight against corruption in Africa.
Obviously, the theory of "neocolonialism" is without a historical foundation or a factual foundation. The purpose of the west is to protect the status quo they have created in Africa and obstruct the development of Sino-African relations.
This "neocolonialism" theory does not have a leg to stand on
First of all, accusations that China is "looting" African energy resources are unfounded. Western countries own much higher stakes in African oil. Currently, 16% of the oil imported by the US comes from Africa; by 2015 this figure will be up 25%. In 2003 alone, energy authorities in the US invested $10b in African oil. American oil company Chevron's investment in Africa in the last five years has been $20b. Exxon-Mobil is laying a $3.7b oil pipeline, to pipe oil from Chad to the Atlantic coast in Cameroon. In addition, French company Total plans to invest $10b in Nigeria and $5b in Angola during the next five years for oil exploration. British Shell has owned 55% of the 30b barrels of oil reserves in Nigeria since 2002, and 40% of the 2.2m barrels of daily output in Nigeria. Compared with these, China's oil exploration operations in Africa are very small. China's oil imports from Africa are less than 1/3 of US oil imports from Africa. Although Sino-African oil trade is developing rapidly, it has always been open, transparent, and mutually beneficial.
Secondly, even westerners do not believe that China is "dumping" in order to take over the African market. The British media admits Sino-African trade and good and cheap Chinese consumer goods provide Africans with affordable commodities and actually improve the standard of living of local people. Namibia's "New Times" newspaper chief, Raj Munamawa, has got it exactly right by saying "China provides affordable consumer goods to black people that have been oppressed by racial segregationist policies all these years, therefore we like China. But some people monopolizing the economy don't like China, because the arrival of the Chinese makes it hard for them to make such high profits any more."
And finally, China has always adhered to the principle of not interfering in other countries' internal affairs and of respecting all countries' rights to choose the road of development that best suits them. China has never sought to transport its own value system or development model to African countries. On the contrary, western countries, mainly the US, in recent years have been pushing the implementation of policies of so-called "promotion of democracy," setting strict political values such as democracy, freedom, and human rights, as criteria for aid. A typical model is the American so-called "African growth and opportunity act."
Where is China different from the west
China did not implement "neocolonialism" in Africa. On the contrary, Sino-African cooperation satisfies the most urgent needs of Africa and promotes its sustainable development. Under the framework of the Sino-African cooperation forum, China waved RMB10.9b in debt for 31 African countries heavily in debt and most under-developed countries; offered zero-tariff treatment for 190 types of export commodities to China from 30 of the most under-developed African countries; and trained over 14,600 people in different fields for Africa. China also sent medical teams to 43 African countries, amounting to 16,000 person/times and helped treat 240m patients. All this made African people feel China's aid was sincere and selfless.
China's energy policy in Africa is implemented under the principle of mutual benefit. For instance, by end of 2003, PetroChina had invested $2.7b in Sudan, built 1506km in oil pipeline, a crude processing plant with an annual capacity of 2.5m tons, and several gas stations. This not only turned the Sudan from an oil importing country to an oil exporting country, but also ensured it has a complete oil industry system from exploration, production, refining and transport to sales. In addition, China has invested over $20m to help the Sudan build other facilities including schools and hospitals.
In comparison, western companies have explored for oil for over 50 years in Nigeria, but Nigeria to date is still exporting crude oil and importing gasoline. It does not have its own oil production and processing system. It is today still a primary resource exporting country. Furthermore, western oil companies are only bent on making money and pay no attention to infrastructure investment; their pipelines often break, causing crude oil to leak out and burst into flame, engulfing large areas of fields and forests. The thick smoke pollutes the air, soil, rivers and lakes. People living around the pipelines can't even find clean water to drink.
There are many similar examples. This is why this theory of "neocolonialism" arises not in Africa but in the west. Just like Premier Wen Jiabao said, "The label "neocolonialism" certainly can not be applied to China." It is significant that so many African leaders have gathered in Beijing. The theory of "neocolonialism" has burst on its own.
Discuss about neocolonialism.