China's Africa Play
Twenty years ago, China's main concern in Africa was upending the diplomatic relations enjoyed by Taiwan with numerous Sub Saharan nations. Now its unprecedented drive to take the preeminent role in continent is being fuelled by China's vast energy, mineral and food stuff requirements.
I just returned from a visit to South Africa. Earlier in the year I travelled to Rwanda and Kenya. One trend that is impossible to ignore in Sub Saharan Africa is the growing role China is taking in the continent's affairs. Beijing is on the move in Africa -- using aid, diplomacy, weapons sales and Chinese ex pats in a bid to become the preeminent power in the region.
The anecdotal evidence is everywhere. In Kigali, the big modern Chinese embassy bristles with communication antennas and dishes. Rwanda, with its paucity of natural resources, seems a surprising place for such an installation until you factor in the country's role as the gateway to the Eastern Congo and its untold mineral wealth. It has been widely reported that China recently purchased half the farm land under cultivation in the Congo.
Roads in Nairobi, notorious for their clogged traffic circles, are being widened and repaved with large billboards telling Kenyans that the work is a gift from the people of China. The fact that the roads will ease congestion for Kenyan motorists is an afterthought to the benefactor which requires modern infrastructure to move African commodities to ports for shipment to China.
Rural South African towns that have been losing population for two decades are seeing an influx of Chinese restaurateurs and merchants. A parliamentary leader in one South African province told me he believes that many of the small businessmen who have fanned out across his remote farming and mining constituency have ties to Chinese intelligence. In neighboring Namibia, China established its first overseas military base to track its satellite and manned space flights.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Chinese companies are considering the purchase of interests in Nigerian oil companies, including the stakes currently held by major American companies.
China's rapid inroads into Africa are made possible by a combination of Chinese money and a willingness by Beijing to deal with some of the world's most unsavory leaders and human rights abusers like Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir in the Sudan. The inattention of the West to this important development has made China's strategic initiative that much easier.
The prospect of an Africa dominated by China means that progress in human rights and democracy in the region will stall and could be reversed. While propping up dictators may make doing business there easier, it will certainly ensure that corruption will continue to flourish and Africans will continue to be oppressed. Chinese money and weapons in the hands of those who have no problem using them to steal, stifle dissent and subjugate minority tribes is a bad thing.
The United States and the West also require fair access to the vital energy supplies and strategic minerals in Africa. American policy makers have already identified West African oil reserves as a resource that can lesson our dependence on volatile Middle Eastern and Venezuelan markets. Undue Chinese political and economic influence on the continent could deny America access to these critical sources of supply in the future.
America is in a unique position to promote free men and free markets in Africa. The United States can compete with China diplomatically and commercially in the region. The United States does not carry baggage from a colonial past as do European countries. Sub Saharan Africa is a place where America remains truly popular. President Bush's HIV/AIDS imitative was very well received. The Millennium Development Corporation is better known there than here. The United States is lead by a President of African descent, widely admired on the continent, and American pop culture rules in Africa.
To stem the Chinese tide and to give Africans the opportunity to have a better future, the United States must strongly advocate for human rights, democracy and freedom on the continent. We cannot be reticent to criticize African strongmen in forums such as the UN. The people of Africa are not looking for our apologies; they are looking for us to bolster them as they struggle against tyranny and corruption.
We should support those countries such as Botswana, Rwanda and South Africa that are committed democracies and nurture those such as Liberia that are making progress in the right direction with increased trade, investment and tourism. The budget of the Millennium Development Corporation can be increased and focused on Africa. America should remain at the forefront of funding HIV/AIDS, polio vaccination and anti-malaria programs on the continent. All of the foregoing programs have broad bipartisan support.
Further, the Africom HQ needs to move from Frankfurt to Africa. The HQ would immediately provide the host country with an economic boost. It would also allow us to work closely on the ground with the AU on peace keeping logistics and training. Having our HQ in the region will encourage friends and cause the foes of freedom to be nervous. It will also demonstrate our ability to project power in a way the Chinese still cannot.
An African renaissance requires democracy, transparency and respect for human rights. A free and transparent Africa will be a friendly place for the United States and a partner in trade and culture long into the future. An Africa dominated China is unlikely to be such a partner. The time for America to fully engage in Africa is now.
By Robert O'Brien
Special to CBSNews.com
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. I just returned from a visit to South Africa. Earlier in the year I travelled to Rwanda and Kenya. One trend that is impossible to ignore in Sub Saharan Africa is the growing role China is taking in the continent's affairs. Beijing is on the move in Africa -- using aid, diplomacy, weapons sales and Chinese ex pats in a bid to become the preeminent power in the region.
The anecdotal evidence is everywhere. In Kigali, the big modern Chinese embassy bristles with communication antennas and dishes. Rwanda, with its paucity of natural resources, seems a surprising place for such an installation until you factor in the country's role as the gateway to the Eastern Congo and its untold mineral wealth. It has been widely reported that China recently purchased half the farm land under cultivation in the Congo.
Roads in Nairobi, notorious for their clogged traffic circles, are being widened and repaved with large billboards telling Kenyans that the work is a gift from the people of China. The fact that the roads will ease congestion for Kenyan motorists is an afterthought to the benefactor which requires modern infrastructure to move African commodities to ports for shipment to China.
Rural South African towns that have been losing population for two decades are seeing an influx of Chinese restaurateurs and merchants. A parliamentary leader in one South African province told me he believes that many of the small businessmen who have fanned out across his remote farming and mining constituency have ties to Chinese intelligence. In neighboring Namibia, China established its first overseas military base to track its satellite and manned space flights.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Chinese companies are considering the purchase of interests in Nigerian oil companies, including the stakes currently held by major American companies.
China's rapid inroads into Africa are made possible by a combination of Chinese money and a willingness by Beijing to deal with some of the world's most unsavory leaders and human rights abusers like Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir in the Sudan. The inattention of the West to this important development has made China's strategic initiative that much easier.
The prospect of an Africa dominated by China means that progress in human rights and democracy in the region will stall and could be reversed. While propping up dictators may make doing business there easier, it will certainly ensure that corruption will continue to flourish and Africans will continue to be oppressed. Chinese money and weapons in the hands of those who have no problem using them to steal, stifle dissent and subjugate minority tribes is a bad thing.
The United States and the West also require fair access to the vital energy supplies and strategic minerals in Africa. American policy makers have already identified West African oil reserves as a resource that can lesson our dependence on volatile Middle Eastern and Venezuelan markets. Undue Chinese political and economic influence on the continent could deny America access to these critical sources of supply in the future.
America is in a unique position to promote free men and free markets in Africa. The United States can compete with China diplomatically and commercially in the region. The United States does not carry baggage from a colonial past as do European countries. Sub Saharan Africa is a place where America remains truly popular. President Bush's HIV/AIDS imitative was very well received. The Millennium Development Corporation is better known there than here. The United States is lead by a President of African descent, widely admired on the continent, and American pop culture rules in Africa.
To stem the Chinese tide and to give Africans the opportunity to have a better future, the United States must strongly advocate for human rights, democracy and freedom on the continent. We cannot be reticent to criticize African strongmen in forums such as the UN. The people of Africa are not looking for our apologies; they are looking for us to bolster them as they struggle against tyranny and corruption.
We should support those countries such as Botswana, Rwanda and South Africa that are committed democracies and nurture those such as Liberia that are making progress in the right direction with increased trade, investment and tourism. The budget of the Millennium Development Corporation can be increased and focused on Africa. America should remain at the forefront of funding HIV/AIDS, polio vaccination and anti-malaria programs on the continent. All of the foregoing programs have broad bipartisan support.
Further, the Africom HQ needs to move from Frankfurt to Africa. The HQ would immediately provide the host country with an economic boost. It would also allow us to work closely on the ground with the AU on peace keeping logistics and training. Having our HQ in the region will encourage friends and cause the foes of freedom to be nervous. It will also demonstrate our ability to project power in a way the Chinese still cannot.
An African renaissance requires democracy, transparency and respect for human rights. A free and transparent Africa will be a friendly place for the United States and a partner in trade and culture long into the future. An Africa dominated China is unlikely to be such a partner. The time for America to fully engage in Africa is now.
By Robert O'Brien
Special to CBSNews.com
America's best strategy now would NOT be to try and buy in (again). They don't have any credibility left. (Thats their own fault.) They would do better by working to undermine Chinese interests in Africa: funding foundations that seek to educate Africans in the duplicity of Chinese interest in Africa, and the folly of pursuing China. Also to use their power to subvert China in Africa.
Finally, the author is wrong to think that South Africa is still a democracy. Perhaps in name only. It is well on its way to being a kleptocracy. The leaders are less and less responsive to their subjects, and well aligned with autocrats like Mugabe. The foray of South Africa with China is a hassle free means of its leaders to achieving their own corrupt ends.
The security and peace originate from freedom.The dictatorial rule not only gives the common people grave pain,but also makes out counter-humanity lunatics. The priority target of the US's foreign assistance should be to eliminate the dictatorial rule, therefore the threat against safe by the lunatic leader and their henchmen should be deleted. The US should not seek to achieve this purpose any more through contacting dictators. The US should not harbor illusions any more to the dictator. American's disposition is easy to be swindled ? a kindhearted person is always easy to be swindled. The American must understand how gloomy the dictator's heart is. They were already not human. They can commit any counter-humanity crimes in order to amass wealth. In China, the shocking events have been done by the dictator group personally or directed secretly by them. You must know what is happening in China, you must determine if the dictators are still men or not through these events. Any negotiation and contact with them is useless. You should know that there are somebody else who you can come into contact with except the dictators. Dictator's atrocity has created domestic enormous tension, this kind of tensity possibly initiates social turmoil, may also turn into the power making Chinese society regular and pushing it to move forward. We have the means to avoid the former facilitating the latter, and the tool we need here is a free Internet. The free Internet can disseminate the truth to the people, provide materials for the people's independent thinking, enable people to be possible to exchange and dispute their thought, enable people to recognize clearly where is the origin of their pain, make people aware of how to construct the happy society. ----At least, to cause many Chinese who have been deceived to regard the US the devil no longer, you need to deliver the free Internet to China! The free Internet can transform those henchmen who were deceived to work themselves to death for the dictator, and avoide the bloody incidents happened in Iraq on its way to democracy. It only needs a free Internet to realize a non-price democracy in China. You can consider if this business is worthwhile! This is a most serious and urgent issue,I am eager for youe answer and preparing to talk more amply.
President Bush has created an enormous reservoir of good will that we can and should tap into now.
We have corrupt corporate "leadership" that never shares the wealth here.
"President Bush has created an enormous reservoir of good will..."
I must have missed that part, the last time I heard him he was saying "you are either with us or against us" and declaring the U.N. irrelevant if they disagreed with his invasion of Iraq.
"The notion that communist China will somehow evolve into a Jeffersonian democracy if we will just be nice to them is beyond naive. "
The US should not harbor illusions any more to the dictator. American's disposition is easy to be swindled ? a kindhearted person is always easy to be swindled. The American must understand how gloomy the dictator's heart is. They were already not human.
Thanks to this perspective, I am persuaded--and I do argue strongly--that all things being equal, Africa is much better off partnering with America the flawed democracy than with China the intolerant, abusive, corruption-riddled oligarchy.
So I share Mr. O?Brien?s overarching point that the US must engage Africa.
That point made, a second one must be stressed even more: O?Brien?s analysis is full of errors and self-serving Western misconceptions. Policy makers and other Americans will blunder badly in Africa if they take O?Brien?s assertions at face value. Should this happen both the US and Africa will be the losers.
Time and space constraints allow debunking of just four of O?Brien?s howlers.
?China's rapid inroads into Africa are made possible by . . . a willingness by Beijing to deal with some of the world's most unsavory leaders and human rights abusers like Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir in the Sudan?. True enough. However this is the pot calling the kettle black. Reason: The US, a democracy, wrote the book on propping up brutal dictators and warlords around the world. In Africa, Mobutu, Siad Barre, Doe, apartheid Pretoria and Savimbi are just a few example from the past. From the present, we have Obiang, Museveni and Kagame among others. Each is doing great harm in his own country. Kagame and Museveni are behind a war of plunder in neighboring DRC. All three are enjoying official US support and even frequent hagiographic coverage by the mainstream media. I recommend that Mr. O?Brien read FRIENDLY TYRANTS: An American Dilemma, the 1992 book edited by Daniel Pipes.
?The United States does not carry baggage from a colonial past as do European countries.? Not from a colonial past, yes. However, propping up dictators who abuse their people and ruin their countries?that is a baggage. So is overthrowing revered leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and spearheading the assassination of beloved patriots such as Patrice Lumumba. It is quite possible that Mr. O?Brien is unaware of these blemishes in the American record in Africa. However, Africans have not forgotten. As the African proverb says, ?The axe may forget. But the tree, never.?
?We should support those countries such as . . . Rwanda. . . that are committed democracies.? Paul Kagame?s Rwanda is no democracy. Not by a long stretch. Internally it is a minority ethnic dictatorship?almost a tribal apartheid. Externally, Rwanda is as guilty as any other party for the war that has consumed an estimated 6 million people in the Eastern Congo. And Rwanda continues to plunder the Congo. Here is another recommended reading for Mr. O?Brien: Howard French?s review essay, ?Kagame?s Hidden War In The Congo? published in the September 24, 2009 edition of The New York Review of Books.
?Further, the Africom HQ needs to move from Frankfurt to Africa.? No, it does not. For Africa, the so-called benefits of AFRICOM are hard to see. To the contrary, AFRICOM?s countless harms and dangers loom large. Undermining Africa?s hard-won sovereignty; militarizing and inflaming local rivalries into raging violent conflicts; American servicemen and contractors acting as a law unto themselves (like Blackwater did in Iraq)?these are only a few. Most important, African public opinion is overwhelmingly hostile towards AFRICOM. This is why today?s African leaders are all scared and refused President Bush?s appeals to host the HQ. Should President Obama ignore this sentiment and ram the HQ through, he would turn most Africans against him.
So yes, the US must engage Africa. But the approach must encompass mutual respect and genuine partnership in pursuit of collaboratively determined mutual interests. What it must not be is unilateral American pursuit of interests such as countering China. And the analyses that underpins US engagement must be much more honest, humble and clear-eyed than what O?Brien offers here
Niikwao2010