Is this 21st century colonization?

Submitted by Herta Malita Shikapwashya
KNN Staff-International Geopolitics Reporter

The large influx of Chinese people in Africa has to raise eyebrows. Why is China suddenly taking a massive interest in African countries? Yes, China has help several African countries in the past, but has never demonstrated such a huge interest in Africa. We understand that Africa has many untapped resources and perhaps this is one of the reasons China (a G7) is taking an interest in Africa.

Is the interest in Africa genuine, or is there a hidden agenda? Arguably, China might be helping Africa to meet its needs via tapping into those resources that Africa is yet to recognize. In the recent past, China has become an oil hungry country and Africa is emerging as an oil continent. In return, Africa is getting help in the areas of reconstruction (bridges, roads etc). But are there any real gains for African countries? Can’t Africans themselves reconstruct what the Chinese are doing for them? We can only hope that these questions will be answered by African leaders after they have gathered at the summit between China and Africa scheduled in Beijing this week.

China’s motives are clearly economic but we also know that they have one of the worst human rights records in the world and this has to concern our African leaders. China, a super power and all weather friend is showing interest in Africa unlike other members of the G7 who never wanted Africa to be self-sufficient. China claims that “it will lead Africa to its own development”. But we must remember that today, China is importing more oil from Africa than it does from Saudi Arabia. Isn’t this the way colonialism started? By finding resources, tricking the people into believing that this would benefit them, then only to use a divide and conquer tactic. Perhaps it does not matter at this point in time what color the cat is, as long as it catches mice. So who is next after the Chinese? India? And then the grabbing of territories? This might be a rebirth of colonialization. Africa must not be blind sighted.

Beijing facelift for Africa summit , BBC News, Beijing: The Chinese capital has undergone a really extraordinary transformation this week as Beijing welcomes 48 heads of African governments. Out in the street now there is a hoarding that must be about 30ft (9m) high and 50ft (15m). On it are 10ft-high zebras and giraffes and an enormous African elephant - and these hoardings are all over the city. Beijing is festooned with pictures of Africa, with new flower beds that have been rolled out overnight, even with Christmas decorations. The Chinese are really rolling out the red carpet for this China-Africa jamboree. To give another example: the street behind me at this time of day is usually completely clogged with traffic. But today there are virtually no cars on the streets, because half a million vehicles have been ordered out of Beijing for this week in order to keep everything flowing nice and smoothly. Above me the sky is blue, another rather unusual event in the Chinese capital. Many factories have also been closed down.

Special relationship: This is in many ways a dress rehearsal for the 2008 Olympics. It also shows just how important the Chinese now consider their relationship with the African continent. But what is that relationship really about? Well, the slogan on the wall behind me here says "Friendship, peace, co-operation and development". It is very clear what the Chinese are getting out of this relationship. China now imports more oil, for example, from Angola than it does from Saudi Arabia. The Chinese economy has a voracious appetite for all sorts of resources from Africa, from timber to iron ore to diamonds.

What I think is far less clear is what this new relationship is bringing in terms of benefits to the economies and, more importantly, to the people of Africa.