African govts need to learn lessons to secure true win-win development partnership with China
As the China’s top diplomat Wang Yi wraps up his six-day tour of Africa, hailing deep-rooted friendships between China and African nations, experts have stressed that Beijing’s pursuit of influence in Africa goes well beyond economic interests.
As Wang Yi visited Egypt, Tunisia, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire, the sides have reiterated their commitment to upholding each other’s sovereignty and working together for shared development.
However, experts have pointed out that China’s investments in infrastructure are coupled with efforts to secure political support and access to resources. Africa is playing an increasingly important role for China that is hungry for energy and raw materials. In return for getting an access to these valuable resources, China invests in infrastructure and social services such as education and healthcare, according to Philipp Gieg, an international relations expert at University of Würzburg. He argues that Beijing does not dictate what Africa should do, but makes clear that Chinese aid is based on its motives. “It is openly stated as such. When China talks about ‘win-win,’ it means win for Africa, but also win for China,” Gieg told DW.
Meanwhile, according to a recent analysis by Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies, “African nations can enhance the benefits of their engagements with China by expanding coordination and lessons sharing to ensure that citizens’ interests are prioritized.” It notes the discrepancy that while some African, Latin American, and Caribbean countries have realized positive outcomes from their engagements with China, others, such as Angola, Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina, Ethiopia, and Zambia, have faced mounting debts. The environmental risks of major Chinese investments are also a key concern to civil society in the Global South. Therefore, the authors urge African, Latin American, and Caribbean governments to learn valuable lessons about the importance of due diligence from their respective engagements with China over the years.
