Chinese cooperation with continent based on multilateralism, summit told
The United States’ increasing involvement in Africa will not contain the friendly cooperation and historical bond that China and Africa have, African scholars said.
Commenting on the US-Africa Leaders Summit held in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday, Gideon Chitanga, a researcher in the African Centre for the Study of the United States at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, said the summit is partly planned to challenge China’s growing influence in Africa, including the Belt and Road Initiative, which has achieved great success in the continent.
Although the US has offered plans to increase aid to African countries and help them with infrastructure development, whether the promises can really turn into action remains doubtful, he said.
“The US is trying to focus on infrastructural development in Africa belatedly. This is a bit copying, cutting and pasting the kind of approach to Chinese partnership with African countries which has mainly focused on infrastructural development,” Chitanga said.
He explained that when there is a focus on infrastructural projects, a country becomes closer to the citizens who have seen the benefits on the ground. Chitanga stated that the US has been “dangling the carrot” in front of African leaders, promising investment in Africa focusing on climate change, energy and the private sector focusing on youths, entrepreneurship and new technology. However, there has been little movement on money from the US to Africa despite some commitment.
“It depends on how much the US follows up on,” he said.
Chitanga said US-Africa relations are complicated by the fact that the US was aligned with colonial establishments. He said African countries are suspicious of US intentions in the African continent. Chitanga said some see the US as a country that leads by force and seeks to dominate, giving direction to policy and political discourse around the world.
Real partner
On the contrary, many countries in Africa see China as a real partner that does not seek to dominate, but instead respects others and promotes multilateralism.
“The BRI and FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) are well rooted and grounded on multilateralism. There are no unilateral initiatives where China seeks to dominate, but institutions, projects and programs,” Chitanga said.
“China respects the political systems of other countries. That is fundamental for African countries, which seek to fortify their sovereignty and self-determination,” he added.
“BRI aims to change lives through inclusive growth, and widely benefit people from different countries. It attracts both the mind and heart of all countries that have joined the initiative,” said Dennis Munene, the executive director of the China-Africa Center at the Africa Policy Institute, in Nairobi, Kenya.
Alvin Botes, deputy minister of international relations for South Africa, said the country believes in multilateralism, acts in the best interest of the country, and is guided by the Pan-Africanist agenda in its engagement with multilateral or foreign powers. Botes said China is South Africa’s biggest trading partner and fellow BRICS partner, and its engagement with African countries is different from many other foreign countries.
“We have to appreciate that China has engaged African states to write off historical debts. That is not appreciated by the Paris Club and the Bretton Woods Institutions,” he said.
Botes pointed out that China has contributed to the improvement of infrastructural development in the African continent, which would help in the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area. He said China has built infrastructure that would help the free trade area become a reality since goods and services will have to move from one country to another.
David Monyae, director for the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, said the US-Africa Leaders Summit should take place in Africa in the future. He said FOCAC takes place in China and different African countries, and that Japan and the US should do the same instead of African leaders always going to the US for summits.
Wesley Seale, an independent international relations expert from South Africa, said African countries should meet and agree on one position they will take when engaging with foreign powers.
The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.