Politics

China and India Battle for Influence in Africa: Part 4

Written by Gaurav Bhola, MSM, Managing Editor & Community Manager on October 15, 2007 3:46 pm EST

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Chinese influence has steadily grown in Africa, displacing many Western interests. When Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw visited Africa; he drew parallels between past activities of the colonial British Empire on the continent and China’s present activities. This parallel didnt go unnoticed by the world, it simply reinforced within Africa and outside that China’s activities were those of a neocolonial power.

Instead of empowering Africans, China is exploiting them. Beijing is exploiting Africa’s natural riches and hampering its pursuit of human rights and democracy. The traditional colonial powers had been European actors dominating distant lands in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Since the beginning of colonialism in the 15th century till the 20th century colonialism grew out of foreigners occupying far-away lands, dominating local political, governmental, and economic affairs and exploiting their resources through unfair trade practices or by sheer brutal force.

After World War II, de-colonization began in earnest and classic colonialism was replaced with a new colonialism. Neocolonialism contains all facets of traditional colonialism except for the physical occupation of foreign land. The new paradigm of a neocolonialist power is to exploit weaker states natural wealth, political framework, and economic resources under the guise of liberal capitalism.

Another successful method of influence over weak states by powerful actors is through military arm sales and/or joint military arms production. China’s arms exports are more than$1 billion a year, generally involving exchange of raw materials for weapons. It is difficult to ascertain the exact value of Chinese global arms exports, as Beijing doesnt report this data.

Beijing has increased military-military cooperation with the African Continent, making it the centerpiece of its arms exports expansion program. Between 1996 and 2003, China was second only to Russia in arm sales to Africa. Currently, Beijing ranks among the top conventional arms suppliers to African nations.

Some of the African nations China has established close military ties with are Sudan, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. A few years ago, China sold twelve jet fighters and over a 100 military vehicles worth approximately $240 million. In Sudan, the situation is of far greater concern. Chinese fighter planes, tanks, bombers, machine guns, helicopters, and rocket-propelled grenades supplied to Sudan’s National Islamic Front military junta have been used in the genocidal north-south civil war. Global human rights organizations have pointed out the use of Chinese arms by the Sudanese government in genocide campaigns in the Darfur region.

As Ethiopia and Eritrea tensions continue, China has provided arms to both nations. During the war between the two nations from 1998 to 2000, China bypassed a UN arms embargo and provided in excess of $1 billion in weapons to both states. In August 2005, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi agreed to forge a formal military relationship with China in exchange of military technologies, military training, and more.

In the frail national environments of African countries, Chinese influence complicates democratic consolidation and promotion of good governance. Compared to India which promotes democratic ideals; China can only foster inherent communist principles and corrupt business practices that permeate throughout China. In 2005, in run-up to Zimbabwe’ elections, China had sent to Zimbabwe electricity transformers, agricultural equipment, and crates full of T-shirts bearing the insignia of Robert Mugabe’s party; Mugabe’s oppressive regime has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980. Chinese businesses provided Mugabe’s government jamming devices to be used against his opposition’ radio stations.

Also, Beijing delivered Harare riot control gear just in case of public protest marches. In addition to Zimbabwe, China has been condemned for blocking Western efforts to punish and isolate the Sudanese regime. In 2004, Chinese UN ambassador defanged US draft resolutions to the United Nations calling for strong measures against ethnic cleansing in Darfur. China has no history or concept of democracy and the inherent rights of mankind, henceforth it doesnt care for abuses of various hues perpetrated by African regimes upon its citizens, as the Chinese regime is guilty of doing the same at home. It is highly unlikely that China can be counted upon to be a responsible actor in Africa based upon China’s global role thus far.

The responsible comity of nations cannot expect China, a communist, military-led oppressive regime to be a responsible actor in Africa or internationally; Beijing has no experience in good governance, value of human rights, democratic principles, respect for rule of law, property rights, environmental protection, corporate governance, consensus building, transparent democratic legal system, welfare of its citizens, food and health safety, nuclear non-proliferation, and more. Gaining valuable experience in these areas based upon a solid foundation of democratic principles is necessary before China can be counted upon to be a responsible actor with any degree of legitimacy at the world stage.

China will use its soft power and other means to sustain illegitimate and undemocratic African governments because it serves its economic interests; the only way it has been and can continue to do this is by being a neocolonialist power.

Part 5: Coming soon

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