Where the Yangtze meets the Congo
By Brendan P O'Reilly
Xi Jinping's first trip abroad as president started in Russia, China's geopolitically ally and indispensable partner in countering United States hegemony. His eight-day journey, which started on March 22, then took him to Africa, an increasingly vital source of the raw materials and investment opportunities needed by China's growing economy.
Xi's trip to Africa highlighted the deepening ties between the cradle of humanity and the Middle Kingdom. While China often faces charges of "neo-imperialism" over its ever-expanding African interests, the complimentary economic and political objectives of the Chinese Communist Party and Africa's rulers point to a huge
potential for a dynamic of cooperation.
Tanzania was Xi's first African port of call. In a speech at a massive conference center (built with donated Chinese funds) at Dar es Salam, Xi stressed the implied difference between Chinese and Western policy towards the African continent:
China will continue to offer, as always, necessary assistance to Africa with no political strings attached. China sincerely hopes to see faster development in African countries and a better life for African people. Africa belongs to the African people. In developing relations with Africa, all countries should respect Africa's dignity and independence.
Western governments and organizations have occasionally highlighted China's "no strings attached" aid to some unsavory African regimes as proof of China's malevolent intentions in the continent. However, economic interests, not political objectives, drive Chinese involvement in Africa. To Beijing it matters little how a country is governed, so long as trade continues to flow.
Flow it has. Trade between Africa and China has increased roughly 20 times in the past decade. China is now the single largest trading partner of the African continent.
The emerging patterns of trade between China and Africa have been criticized by some political elements within Africa. Last month, Lamido Sansui, the governor of Nigeria's central bank, condemned China's focus on importing raw materials and selling finished products to Africa:
So China takes our primary goods and sells us manufactured ones. This was also the essence of colonialism. The British went to Africa and India to secure raw materials and markets. Africa is now willingly opening itself up to a new form of imperialism. [1]
Of course, if the arrangement of importing raw materials and exporting manufactured goods is the primarily indicator of imperialism, then China's bilateral trade with Canada, Australia, and the United States could similarly be condemned. One defining indicator of imperialism - the use of armed force - is largely absent from China's involvement in Africa. The only Chinese troops in the African continent serve in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
African growth as trade booms
After Tanzania, Xi Jinping went to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in South Africa. Besides meeting with the representatives of this important economic and political bloc, Xi also joined a "breakfast meeting" of African heads of state. Leaders from 11 African nations attended the conference, from South Africa's President Jacob Zuma to the Speaker of Algeria's National Assembly Abdul Qadir bin Saleh.
Xi's final stop in Africa was the Republic of the Congo. This oil-rich nation (not to be confused with its war-torn neighbor the Democratic Republic of the Congo) hosted the bilateral meeting in grand style. A summit between Xi and Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso was accompanied by a mass rally. Thousands of Congolese chanted slogans and wore t-shirts emblazoned with an image of the two leaders.
President Xi spelled out a grandiose and poetic vision for Sino-African ties while in the Republic of Congo:
No matter how the international situation changes, China will always be Africa's friend and partner in all weather... I have a very strong feeling that Africa is a continent full of vitality and hope. China-Africa cooperation has great potential and bright prospects... I believe the China-Africa friendship will last forever, just like the unceasing flow of the Yangtze and Congo rivers. [2]
The possibility for growth in economic activity is indeed immense. In the past 10 years, the African continent has experienced its most rapid period of economic growth in recorded history. Not coincidentally, Africa's striking expansion has occurred in the same decade as the dramatic increase in commerce between the African continent and China.
In 2000, trade between China and Africa stood at a little more than US$10 billion. In that year, the average external debt of African nations stood at 63% of gross domestic product (GDP), and average inflation was at 15%. [3] Now that Sino-African trade amounts to roughly $200 billion per year, the average external debt in Africa is down to 22% of GDP, and inflation is at a more comfortable 8% yearly rate.
Correlation does not always mean causality, but the fact that Africa's most rapid period of economic growth has coincided with the rise of Sino-African trade cannot be ignored. China has a clear self-interest in encouraging prosperity, peace, and infrastructure in the African continent. Trade needs political stability and reliable transportation to function. Furthermore, impoverished people do not make good customers.
China is not only in Africa to build roads, buy natural resources and sell toys. Chinese investment, both private and public, has blossomed along with the trade relations. During his African trip, Xi Jinping reaffirmed a pledge of over $20 billion in loans to African governments over the next several years. Direct cultural and personal ties are growing as well. Up to two million Chinese entrepreneurs live and do business in Africa, while China's cities host hundreds of thousands of African businesspeople and students.
Xi's African odyssey saw the Chinese leader visit three separate African nations. The countries on his itinerary are quite dissimilar in their internal political structure, but striking alike regarding their patterns of trade with China. This journey gives life to the supposed existence of a "China model" of stable, authoritarian state capitalism. China is willing and able to do business with anyone.
South Africa boasts a vibrant democracy and a free press. Tanzania's political climate is somewhat less democratic, although there are semi-viable opposition parties. On the other hand, President Denis Sassou Nguesso has singularly dominated the political scene in Republic of the Congo since 1997 (and, before this, from 1979 to 1992).
However, all three nations have important economic ties with China. Beijing is by far the largest trading partner of South Africa and the Republic of Congo; it is narrowly edged out by India in international trade with Tanzania.
Contemporary China follows a foreign policy in Africa (and throughout the world) that is strikingly devoid of ideology. China does not seek to export a particular political or economic system to other countries. Rather, China's leaders and businesspeople follow the practical maxim of the late Deng Xiaoping: "It doesn't matter whether it is a white cat or a black cat, a cat that catches mice is a good cat". China follows perceived self-interest, regardless of political labels.
This is not to say that China's growing bonds in Africa have no political implications. Before Xi's trip to Africa, Zhong Jianhua, China's special envoy to Africa, condemned the Western attitude towards Africa: "The legacy of the West is the feeling that Africa should thank them, and that Africa should recognize that it is not as good as the West. That is not acceptable." [4]
Lu Shaye of China's foreign ministry was even more blunt in condemning Western policy: "What have Western countries done for Africa in the 50 years since independence? Nothing. All they have done is criticize China and that is unfair." [5]
Sino-African political ties are colored by old-fashioned anti-colonialism. As trade deepens, China must be careful with its public image in Africa. However, according to opinion polls, Africans are amongst the most pro-Chinese people outside of the Middle Kingdom itself (see China's winning strategy in Africa). There exists a real possibility for China to develop strategic political alliances in Africa.
For the time being, China's defense of its practices in Africa is largely based on protecting its economic interests. This could change in the event of open hostility between Beijing and the West. The rebalancing of global economic power represented by China's growing dominance of trade and investment in Africa will have serious geopolitical repercussions, as China is well-positioned to reap the benefits of Africa's massive potential for economic growth.
Brendan P O'Reilly is a China-based writer and educator from Seattle. He is author of The Transcendent Harmony. He may be reached at oreillyasia@gmail.com
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