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| African view: China's new long march | African view: China's new long march |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Many parts of Africa are in thrall to the Chinese business ethic | Many parts of Africa are in thrall to the Chinese business ethic |
| In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, Ghanaian writer and former government minister Elizabeth Ohene considers China's impact on Africa. | In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, Ghanaian writer and former government minister Elizabeth Ohene considers China's impact on Africa. |
| In Ghana as in other countries on the continent, the Chinese are here, very visible and very busy. | In Ghana as in other countries on the continent, the Chinese are here, very visible and very busy. |
| The relationship between Africa and China is a love-hate one - the love is more on the side of the governments and the hate on the side of business, civil society and the unions. | The relationship between Africa and China is a love-hate one - the love is more on the side of the governments and the hate on the side of business, civil society and the unions. |
| Julius Nyerere (R) was a friend of China the first time around | Julius Nyerere (R) was a friend of China the first time around |
| But those of us of a certain age know that the Chinese are not new to Africa. | But those of us of a certain age know that the Chinese are not new to Africa. |
| The first wave of Chinese flirtation with Africa was in the early years of independence and at the time when they themselves were serious communists and seemed to frown on business and all things capitalist. | The first wave of Chinese flirtation with Africa was in the early years of independence and at the time when they themselves were serious communists and seemed to frown on business and all things capitalist. |
| They came to Africa to make friends, they built the first football stadiums and organised projects that the World Bank frowned upon. | They came to Africa to make friends, they built the first football stadiums and organised projects that the World Bank frowned upon. |
| They set the fashion for our presidents, getting the likes of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania into Mao suits. | They set the fashion for our presidents, getting the likes of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania into Mao suits. |
| This time around they are here for business, and let nobody forget that. | This time around they are here for business, and let nobody forget that. |
| Bulldozer diplomacy | Bulldozer diplomacy |
| Sixty years of communism in the People's Republic has lulled some people into forgetting just what committed businessmen the Chinese have been for 3,000 years. | Sixty years of communism in the People's Republic has lulled some people into forgetting just what committed businessmen the Chinese have been for 3,000 years. |
| CHINA IN AFRICA China is Africa's second-biggest trading partner, behind USBetween 2002 and 2003 two-way trade doubles to $18.5bnBy 2008 trade tops $100bn - China exports $51bn, imports $56bnAlmost all imports come from oil-rich nations: Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, and Sudan Sources: China Daily, Reuters, Council on Foreign Relations Learn Chinese for free... in Liberia Guinea and China 'agree big deal' China praised for African links | CHINA IN AFRICA China is Africa's second-biggest trading partner, behind USBetween 2002 and 2003 two-way trade doubles to $18.5bnBy 2008 trade tops $100bn - China exports $51bn, imports $56bnAlmost all imports come from oil-rich nations: Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, and Sudan Sources: China Daily, Reuters, Council on Foreign Relations Learn Chinese for free... in Liberia Guinea and China 'agree big deal' China praised for African links |
| Their methods might be slightly different from those we have been used to from the Western nations we have been dealing with for the past 300 years, but the Chinese I have come across are as ruthless in business as any "master of the universe" on Wall Street. | Their methods might be slightly different from those we have been used to from the Western nations we have been dealing with for the past 300 years, but the Chinese I have come across are as ruthless in business as any "master of the universe" on Wall Street. |
| I have seen them operate at first hand over the past eight years, when I was in government in Ghana. | I have seen them operate at first hand over the past eight years, when I was in government in Ghana. |
| Many are willing to work seven days a week; if they can get away with paying $2, they will not pay $3; and if you are late with the payment of one interim invoice, they will stop work. | Many are willing to work seven days a week; if they can get away with paying $2, they will not pay $3; and if you are late with the payment of one interim invoice, they will stop work. |
| If it suits them, they claim they cannot speak or understand English to get themselves out of sticky situations. | If it suits them, they claim they cannot speak or understand English to get themselves out of sticky situations. |
| Here is an example of what I mean: A Korean company was building a highway westwards out of Accra for more than a year. | Here is an example of what I mean: A Korean company was building a highway westwards out of Accra for more than a year. |
| The work stalled because the authorities could not, or would not, pull down the structures demarcated to be pulled down and for which compensation had been paid. | The work stalled because the authorities could not, or would not, pull down the structures demarcated to be pulled down and for which compensation had been paid. |
| Indeed, the gossip was that more people started putting up structures after the demarcation exercise so they could be paid compensation - but that is another story. | Indeed, the gossip was that more people started putting up structures after the demarcation exercise so they could be paid compensation - but that is another story. |
| A Chinese company started building a highway northwards out of Accra. | A Chinese company started building a highway northwards out of Accra. |
| Once the demarcation was done and the compensation paid, they waited for seven days and one fine Sunday morning, as people made their way to church, they brought out the bulldozers and by the time church was over, the houses and kiosks in their way had all been pulled down. | Once the demarcation was done and the compensation paid, they waited for seven days and one fine Sunday morning, as people made their way to church, they brought out the bulldozers and by the time church was over, the houses and kiosks in their way had all been pulled down. |
| No amount of shouting or pleading or threatening impressed them - they claimed they couldn't understand English. | No amount of shouting or pleading or threatening impressed them - they claimed they couldn't understand English. |
| After a few days of shock, the communities resigned themselves and concentrated on the beautiful road being built for them. | After a few days of shock, the communities resigned themselves and concentrated on the beautiful road being built for them. |
| Meanwhile on the western front, it took for ever before the project could be completed. And guess who got kudos for delivering the work on time? | Meanwhile on the western front, it took for ever before the project could be completed. And guess who got kudos for delivering the work on time? |
| We'll get the cheque | We'll get the cheque |
| I recall a gathering in Oxford University in the early 1990s that brought together investors, business people, academics, UN types, pseudo-politicians and journalists to deliberate on Africa. | I recall a gathering in Oxford University in the early 1990s that brought together investors, business people, academics, UN types, pseudo-politicians and journalists to deliberate on Africa. |
| I forget his name now, but I think he was a boss with a mining company. | I forget his name now, but I think he was a boss with a mining company. |
| China has been praised for its infrastructure projects | China has been praised for its infrastructure projects |
| He told a story of his experience of doing business in China and in Zimbabwe. | He told a story of his experience of doing business in China and in Zimbabwe. |
| He and his team arrived in Zimbabwe to a muted reception and slightly shambolic series of meetings and concluded a low-scale deal, or at least that was their view at the time. | He and his team arrived in Zimbabwe to a muted reception and slightly shambolic series of meetings and concluded a low-scale deal, or at least that was their view at the time. |
| Next stop Beijing, where the full panoply of state protocol was on display, complete with a 27-course dinner in the People's Hall in Tiananmen Square. | Next stop Beijing, where the full panoply of state protocol was on display, complete with a 27-course dinner in the People's Hall in Tiananmen Square. |
| They signed a deal and were highly impressed with all the arrangements. | They signed a deal and were highly impressed with all the arrangements. |
| Yet four years later they had made no money in China but were making a lot of money in Zimbabwe. | Yet four years later they had made no money in China but were making a lot of money in Zimbabwe. |
| And, by the way, at the end of the Chinese trip, they had been presented with a detailed bill for the 27-course dinner and the protocol laid on for them - and they had to pay. | And, by the way, at the end of the Chinese trip, they had been presented with a detailed bill for the 27-course dinner and the protocol laid on for them - and they had to pay. |
| The Chinese are here and everywhere else to make money and let no-one forget that - ever. | The Chinese are here and everywhere else to make money and let no-one forget that - ever. |
| If you would like to comment on Elizabeth Ohene's latest viewpoint, please send your thoughts using the postform below. | If you would like to comment on Elizabeth Ohene's latest viewpoint, please send your thoughts using the postform below. |
| When will Africa wake up to exactly that statement: The Chinese are here and everywhere else to make money and let no-one forget that - ever. If the various African governments don't quickly understand that China is not a noble helping friend they will lose all they have. AFRICA WAKE UP!!! Stop being exploited and ensure that your resources are being processed in your countries before being exported - you need the jobs urgently. Governments take responsibility for your people and stop corruption! China will strip you of everything you have before you know it - and what will be left? Hunger and starvation, dependencies from Western donor nations. China will not help you then! Is that what you want?Tanya, Germany | |
| There is no gain-saying the fact that the Chinese are in Africa to make money. It sounds foolish to me to think that the Chinese love Africa or Africans for love sake. The Chinese do business with Africa because they gain from the corruption of our leaders and because they are able to use cheap labour through the exploitation of poor Africans who work for their companies extracting our resources. This is done with the knowledge and collaboration of our African corrupt leaders. Even though one cannot deny the fact that the Chinese are very hardworking and are carrying out giant projects in Africa, one must not lose sight of what they gain in return for all of these. The Chinese do not love Africans and we just need to be reminded of how African students are treated in China. Some of our students in China have been subjected to racial abuse or killed and our leaders just make some noise and continue doing business with them. The Chinese care less about Democracy or Human Rights in African countries. They make business with dictators that are under sanctions from the West. Yes the Chinese are in Africa to make money and benefit from Africa`s vast resources.Adeniyi Akinlabi, London,UK | |
| Another propaganda to discredit the Chinese. By the way, how about flipping the question so it goes this way "what has the West done for us?" In my honest opinion, neither the Chinese not the Europeans are in Africa for a honest purpose but for the benefit of their own selfish interests. It's business as usual for both parties and African leaders shouldn't be blamed for choosing whom to work with.Young Ya Bhoy, London | |
| There are the good and bad sides to the Chinese presence in Africa. On the positive side is the fact that they execute the jobs for which they grant loans to African countries thus ensuring that the money is not pocketed by rogue politicians. But this has its bad side because most of the workers who execute these contracts are Chinese, with very few locals employed to work along them and by so doing ensure the transfer of know-how. | |
| Also on the positive side is the fact that the ready availability of Chinese goods in African markets has greatly pushed down the prices of most commodities and in the process enabling many Africans acquire certain goods that were far from their reach before the arrival of the Chinese. But along these cheap goods has arrived the very disgusting phenomenon of imitated luxury items, with very low quality but sold at 'middle prices' way above their value. Today, one hardly knows the difference between a real Rolex watch and a fake one and in the process, people are short-changed. | |
| On the negative side, the Chinese with their attitude of buying everything have helped in the creation of a kind of underground parallel market where stolen goods are sold to Chinese merchants with no questions asked. Before their arrival, many African telecommunication networks were stable, but today, the availability of telephone lines has been greatly perturbed by the frequent theft of cables, which are subsequently melted down and sold to unquestioning Chinese operatives. The same goes for scrap readily bought by the Chinese which has endangered the 'lives' of even usable vehicles and appliances as unscrupulous individuals steal them and sell to the Chinese as scrap. | |
| The list is long, but on the whole, Chinese assistance/loans are readily visible and if our former colonial masters operated like the Chinese are doing now, Africa would not be that indebted without structures to show on which the money loaned was invested.Chief Bisong Etahoben, Yaounde, CAMEROON | |
| This article is a bit one sided isn't it? One senses in the tone of the article perhaps some grudge against the Chinese? Take a vote of Africans and ask them, would you rather the Chinese be in Africa or not? How about the billions in development and exports that Africa has gained in the relationship. I think we all know what the result would be.marco, Australia | |
| being from Tanzania, i have seen the government of china building our big international football stadium (60,000 seats?. then we heard that we traded our mining companies for the pitch.so we just hoped that our leaders striked a fair deal.Kato Lukaija, India (student) | |
| I do agree with the author, on some extent the chinese are here to make money right, but on the other hand lets look at the chinese way of doing things take an example of kampala where thy have championed in infrastructure with not hash conditions, mean terms and even trade they offer good terms compared to other so-called superpowers, I like china because it does not mind of the democracy or leadership but investment only, lets welcome them as we overcome the poverty in africa.rwakachocho wilberforce, kampala, uganda | |
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