Growth Trumps Freedom
REUTERS
Chinese companies have pumped
billions into Africa to secure access to natural resources, boosting
countries' economies along the way. Ordinary citizens aren't reaping the
benefits, though, and have become increasingly wary of the new
investors.
In a three-part series, SPIEGEL is exploring fundamental changes
occurring in Africa -- a continent the West has long written off, but is
now being embraced by other countries. This is Part I of the series. An
introduction can be read here, while Part II explores the digital
revolution's tranformative impact on the continent and Part III shows
how women in Africa are making great strides.
The concept of "West is
best" is now a thing of the past. Disappointed by Europe and America,
where their continent has often been written off as a hopeless case, Africans
have instead looked to the Far East. There, they have found a strong ally, one
that is mainly interested in doing business and doesn't interfere in their
internal affairs. China attaches no political conditions to economic
cooperation, unlike the West, which, at least on paper, demands good
governance, the rule of law, anti-corruption measures and protections for human
rights.
This is one of the reasons that
despots like Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe hold the Chinese in such high
regard. Cooperating with China fills their empty coffers and enables them to
secure their hold on power. And Africa's dictators are not badgered when they
oppress and prey on their own people.
For example, Beijing wasn't overly
troubled when the regime in Sudan waged a criminal war of forced displacement
in Darfur. It continued to supply the Sudanese government with weapons and
blocked resolutions in the United Nations Security Council. Beijing's primary
concern was that Sudanese oil would continue to flow. Next to Angola, Sudan is
China's second-most important source of oil in Africa.
With Chinese economic dominance, the
West's political influence is gradually being eroded. In authoritarian
countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda, the model of the Chinese
development dictatorship, which prioritizes growth over freedom, has long been
a welcome alternative to liberal democracy.
At the same time, Europe's and
America's cultural influence is waning. China's Xinhua state news agency now
has 28 offices in Africa, more than any Western competitor. The state
television broadcaster CCTV, which opened a new headquarters in Nairobi last
year, is gaining more and more viewers. Instead of airing the usual disaster
reports, the station tends to broadcast "good news" from Africa and
portrays China as a "true friend."
Growing Resentment and Violence
Nevertheless, there is growing
resentment in South Africa, where there are reportedly already 250,000 Chinese.
In the townships, the new immigrants are berated as "yellow masters."
Among South Africans, the Chinese are often seen as greedy, ruthless and
racist, as people who are exploiting Africa, flooding its markets with cheap
products and ruining an already weak domestic industry.
Union leaders in Angola complain
that Chinese companies are creating too few jobs for local workers. There are
rumors in the capital, Luanda, that the Chinese are using prisoners as forced
laborers on construction sites.