What is China going to gain from Kenya

[Chemosi]

February 13, 2007
Adama Gaye

Development Begins at Home

Let us not forget that China is not in Africa for philanthropic reasons. It is another imperial power pursuing its national interest, and it can be an unreliable partner despite its claim to build a true equal partnership with Africa.

Don’t forget that at the end of the 1970s when it decided to focus on its internal challenges, China’s leadership forgot about Africa. That they invite now African leaders for grandiose gatherings such as the China-Africa Summit should not fool us. Even at that gathering it was almost an insult to African leaders especially for the one who stood with a wide smile in front of the line kenyan president Kibaki who were forced to queue up to greet the Chinese president just before the opening ceremony as if, for a country so much concerned with symbols, to show that Africa was paying tribute to its new tutor.

The figures mentioned in terms of new funds from China to Africa may be impressive, but their primary target is to help China secure markets abroad. Beijing has learnt the lesson of Japan after World War II, when it built its recovery through securing captive foreign markets. The money China is giving Africa is far from being enough to address the level of financing needed by the continent.

Don’t be surprised also to trace that money to countries that will give back more to China either in terms of diplomatic support or in natural resources. This interest-driven approach will only offer a cushion to those in Africa who are champions in siphoning the continent’s foreign aid. Is it not time to put in place an international tribunal to prosecute financial criminals in countries like Kenya,Nigeria etc who do even more damage in Africa than the warlords?

Chinese officials are not prepared to accept the real message coming out of some of the not so corrupt African nations like south Africa. Instead, they prefer to deal with African predators not concerned with the necessity of improving the lot of their people like Kenya and Nigeria to be precise.
That China pretends to be the savior of Africa is another falsehood. What is most important in Africa is the emergence of visionary, dedicated, democratic leaders who put their countries, not their pockets, first.

Development begins at home—China is another illusion. If Africa does not set its house in order first, there is no way it will achieve anything. China will end up taking advantage of its resources before leaving it dry under the sun as it did in the 1970s.
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Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds.' Einstein. biikabkutit.com

[keno]

China is going to get a truck load of Lions ,elephants,hynas, zebras and we might throw in a couple of rabbits. Remember the Thailand case?

[altoo]

China is doing the right thing by refocusing all it's overseas development assistance to Africa once again. The fact is, for all what the western countries have been doing, they are part of the problems we still have in Africa. Ever since they started giving aid to Africa they introduced some tough measures that pretty much sucks all the profits from Africa to international corporations owned by these western nations. It's time China stepped up to the competition and offer the western countries a run for their money and investment. After all, the capitalism ideology so encouraged by westerners dictates that the more competition in any given sector the better. In that regard, China is doing the right thing and since they are not as corrupt as the western countries, i think Africa stands to benefit either way.

[Nyiganet]

inget chitugul nesomani kosetisiek kole China will be the next superpower amun America will be bankrupted by the war in Iraq. Ongengalalchin China komye we biikyok

[altoo]

I couldn't agree more with Nyiganet

[Chic12]