Beijing has dramatically outpaced its rivals in Africa. But at ground level, things don't always look so rosy.
Comment: I think this article is misleading. This report indicates that China continues it's legacy of human rights abuses even overseas. http://www.swedwatch.org/swedwatch/referenser/swedwatchs_rapport_powering_the_mobile_world__1
Comment: The reason "western" improvements in Africa were lost when whites left is because the improvements were made for the sole purpose of whites. It doesn't help to build railroads when 95% of the country is uneducated and living on a subsistence economy. What the whites really did is build just enough infrastructure to rape those nations of resources. When the "white" countries populations started demanding that blacks be treated fairly and the blacks started agitating for freedom, the whites realized that it would just be cheaper to leave. So when they left, there was no one left behind who could utilize, much less mantain the infrastructure that was present. Building of infrastructure has to be initiated by indigenous governments and with the support of local populations to be effective and longlasting.
Comment: Nonsense. There never were enough white people to economically support such infrastructures. It required participation by the local populations at large to make them economically feasible. When the whites left, the railways fell into disrepair and went bankrupt because of mismanagement. Whatever the local Africans took over fell victim to their corruption and mismanagement. That's very different than what happenned in Asia. The Asians took over without skipping a beat.
Comment: I agree with one point walt235 made "You cant fix stupid". He is the perfect example of that. why bother to argue with someone who is glaringly lacking in all things intelligent. This is the only place an oaf can post comments that are evidently a cry for help and feel they are swaying the train of thought of normal people.
Comment: How about no colonialism but a symbiotic partnership between both countries. There is a way for people to exist without one needing to be superior.
Comment: I do think that Chinese colonialism will be more succesfull than Western colonialism in Africa. Despite the politically correct garbage we all learn in school, whites had a deep desire to spread Christinainty and help Africans advance. While Arabs and Asians at the time viewed blacks as subhuman, whites saw them as humans with a sould to save.
The dismal failure of all African socities to keep the standards of living they had under whites will only enforce this feeling among the Chinese. And, perhaps most importantly, the Chinese are not in Africa to save souls or spread an ideology.
Comment: And the intelligent will always oppress the less intelligent.The Chinese are proving to be more racist than the white man ever was. Surprise, surprise.
Comment: And the smart will always oppress the less intelligent. The Chinese are proving to be much more racist than the white man ever was. Surprise, surprise.
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Comment: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????90????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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Comment: Stupid *** lover! Africa is a hell hole because *** are subhuman animals! You can't go against nature and you can't fix stupid!
Comment: Hello Mr stupid racish sh++h. Say what you want or the little you know. The fact remains that the guns and corruptions and attrocities going on in Africa today is because of the white mans unfortunate entry to the continent. It always starts with brainwashing fools like you and then go in and destroy the place and run out and then watch it self destroy just like most recently, Iraq.
African, the same people you call sub human are deprived daily from their rightful resouces for a fool like you to survive. Yes, it would be nice if SHELL and all multinationals leave the continent and stop making all that money. You will be refugee in Africa in no time asshol....
Comment: walt235 if you knew anything about how Africa ended up the way it did it is because we wonderful Westerners "white men" decided colonizing countries was a great idea and killing off the masses of Africans b/c of diamonds, oil, and gold wasn't a serious loss to mankind. get your head out of your ass and look around, the reason Africa is a "hell hole." It certainly is not b/c of black people, Westerners have been raping them of their resources for years to keep you having a happy well to do life, while they suffer in poverty and refugee camps because god forbid they actually build a steady government and are able to one day provide any sort of economic stability to their people.
Yes, Africa has big problems but allowing genocides and corrupt governments to rule the people is unacceptable in this day and age. We're all borrowing money we don't have and then blaming China for it's "pollution and over population" but China owns America now they're only getting economically stronger around the world.
Throwing money at the problem never fixes it anyway. They need infrastructure to support Africa slowly but surely building a steady economy, education, and business, however it is less to do with their own choices but more with how Westerners have decided to control how and where their resources are distributred legally or illegally. We are all guilty of Africa's situation whether directly or indirectly b/c now we know and we've still all decided we enjoy our nice comfortable life too much to sacrifice a bit to give these people a chance.
Comment: Nonsense. Western countries put in roads, hospitals, universities and schools where none had previously existed in Africa. Black Africans saw astounding gains in their populations and standard of living under white rule. In less than a generation, these gains were lost. Western colonization was the only way to get black Africa into the modern world. Black Africans lived much better under whites than they do now under blacks.
Comment: Also, I don't think 'WESTERN COLONISATION WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GGGEEEETTTT BLACK AFRICA INTO THE MODERN WORLD'. 'White' Africa is nothing more than looting and oocupying settlers.
Comment: Standard of living is a very subjective measurement. Of course Africans would be much better off if they were treated fairly without discrimination. Could you please link to sources of the information you gave?
Comment: You can't fix stupid! Africa is a hell hole, and so is everywhere else nigz infest en masse! Instant ghetto, just add nigz!
Comment: The west had been exploiting the world. It is China's turn
Comment: chineese are the lowest forms of life. They'll pollute everything they can and not think twice about the effect it has on this earth. They could care less. Let them stay in china and kill each other with over population
Comment: chineese are the lowest forms of life. They'll pollute everything they can and not think twice about the effect it has on this earth. They could care less. Let them stay in china and kill each other with over population
Comment: Read the report on the same subject on the BBC website.It is a study in contrast and typifies BBC's leftist spin ,as usual..
Comment: Two vastly differing cultures both coming from very differing angles - the one is used to struggling to survive with little formal organisation and the other is used to everything being ordered and in place with great discipline. Facts are facts - people have predjustices. Here in Africa we have so many of our own ethnic groups, getting along with them is hard enough. Now different, new people come here - most rural people have never seen CNN and would not know first hand what a Chinese person looks like. All of a sudden they look differant and they talk differantly - the reaction will not surprise many.
Africa is a tough continent - little infrastructure, low education levels and differing attitudes and perceptions towards fairness and justice than that of an "overseas" person.
We Africans - All of us know and love our continent. We all wish for greater access to better living standards - no matter who throws their money at us. Facts are facts though - it will take many wasted Chinese $ before they have paid their school fees in order to do business on our continent. By importing your food and lifestyle - you only prolong your whoes.
Comment: This is probably one of the most racist and condescending articles i have read in a long time. The writer clearly has an agenda and has stereotypes about the Chinese (greedy, inhuman, and racist) and the Africans (lazy, irrational, can't help themselves) that color the article. Even though he only talks about one project in one country in Africa, it is supposed to represent all of China's dealings in Africa. Where the West sees one continent of the same people, China sees over 50 different countries, each with its's own economic and political conditions and presenting different opportunities and challenges. This is just western propaganda -- just because they hands offed the continent, they want everyone else to do the same.
Comment: This is probably one of the most racist and condescending articles I have read in a long time. The author clearly has stereotypes of the Chinese (clearly that the Chinese are greedy, racist, and inhuman) of the Africans (lazy and can't help themselves) -- even though he only talks about one project in Angola, the article somehow represents all of China's adventures in Africa. It's just western propaganda to downplay Chinese involvement in Africa. Where the west sees one continent as one country (as this article confirms) China sees over 50 different countries, each with a different set of economic and political conditions, and each presenting a different opportunity or challenge.
Comment: Let me get this straight the system in Europe and North American that supplies its people with highest standard of living is worse then then present dictatorships of Africa. Communism turns out to be nothing but dictatorship so what form of economics do you want. I am disabled and yet even on my Social Security I live a decnt life have car ( which very few poeple in world have) A computer ( which allows me to talk to the whole world without restrictions ) and a home and food and even good health care. Yes for those who dont realize it if you are truly poor you get good health care. Tell me what you would replace the horrible corporations as you put it.
Comment: At age 61 and a life long beliver in "democracy" I have finally come to the understanding that democracy does not exist. While communism is yet another name for dictatorship, what we live under is capitallism at it's worst. The incerasingly never ending greed of Corporate America is beyond my toleration abilities. Workers are nothing more valuable than office furniture today. If that.. Over a five year study myself and another tracked taxes hidden and known and we pay, the average citizen, over 60% of our money in taxes so our govt can do the bidding of their corporate masters. I only thank God that the Cheney's and the Bechtals and the Haliburton's of this country will in end burn with their money.
Comment: Whilst I agree that companies are not usually in Africa for the aid, I cannot see it as an inherently bad thing that these foreign companies build roads, bridges, rail networks etc.. So what if they make $1 million in profit, the value to the Angolians will be worth far more in ease of transport, goods to market, economic stimulation and who knows, perhaps one day a worthwhile politican will emerge from the ranks of the underhand.
Comment: C wilson, you are most certainly correct. As carl Marx and Fredrick Engles predicted, the Trans-National capitalist pigs are dismantlly national borders (North American Union, EU) so as to more readily exploit the free movement of capital and labor. These New World Order elitist propably are correct thinking they can influence the currupt Russian KGB government of President Putin. How they think they will control an industrialized/militarized Red China is beyound my comprehension! The saying I believe that was said by Lenin will come to past, " The greedy Capitalist pigs will sell us the rope we will hang them with!" Good Night.
Comment: American007, how racist could you be? It is unfair and close-minded to say that the Chinese are the "kings of greed" when greed is running rampant in every country. Yes, there are many things that the Chinese need to work on, but look at your own country if you want to make judgments. Think about the CEOs of companies that bring home millions of dollars every year, even more in bonuses, while their workers are laid off or have pay cuts. And the reason why everything is "Made in China" or any poor nation is because of (mostly) Western companies that have moved in to exploit the cheap labout and resources there. There are many things wrong with the wold, but don't go pointing fingers at who is the worst.
Comment: American007, how racist could you possibly be? Greed is running rampant in every country. Perhaps the Chinese do not know how to think things through better, but they are by no means the "kings of greed." Honestly. Look to the CEOsmaking hundreds of millions of dollars while their workers get laid of and have salary cuts in the United States. And the reason why everything is "Made in China" these days is because of (mostly) Western corporations that have moved into China to exploit the labout there. Don't start making racist comments unless you've thoroughly thought out the issue.
Comment: I think it is very ironic that Chinese laborers are being killed by mines made in China! The Chinese are the kings of greed - perhaps they have met their match? The locals should start up dog farms and sell to the Chinese laborers. Hey, I can go to my local hardware store and get some bags of cement - how much are they paying in Angola?
Comment: Aid to the third world is just a waste of money. 90% of the aid ends up in private/secrete bank acounts of the local currupt politicians in Switzerland under the control of internation bankers pushing the New World Order so they can control the people and the wealth of the world. Maybe the ChiComs have the right idea, just eat the dog and leave, right on brother Nawawimmohohamad!
Comment: No mater who aids the third world, 90% of the money will end up in the accounts of dictators enriching the bankers in Switzerland pushing the New World Order. Just eat the dog and leave, right on brother Nanwimohamad!
Comment: I only wish that those who imposed themselves as African leaders could only think. There is really anything that China or any one from the West could do for Africa that Africa cannot do for herself. We are still hoping that one day, Africa will get leaders whose visions are farther than their pockets. Meanwhile, our fear is that America may do everything possible to ensure that China fails in Africa. They may even cause civil wars if only that will pave way for possessing what they perceive as their natural inheritance, I mean Africa.
David O. Moomo
Comment: Regardless of the gloomy picture you present, things will work out in the long Run.
Comment: I think in the long run, the Chinese can survive and make it through. Their have the same technological capabalities and their costs are very low. Moreover they have enough people to spare - more than 2 billion of them! On the other hand, it is better for every body to make a quick buck and leave..... like many poor countries in Africa their leaders are corrupt and have no vision or real intention to really develop their country and raise the living standards of thier people. It is the African mentality. It is imbued in them. Trying to help them is just a waste of time, energy and money. In short plunder as much as one can, then kill the dog and leave!
Comment: I think that the root problem with most, if not all, of the former European colonies is that colonial rule ended too quickly and without the European rulers building an infrastructure and educating the masses to a level where they could be expected to have the skills to manage their contries after colonial rule ended. If you look into this, I think that you'll find that Angola and Mozambique were raped by the Portuguese, who, along with the Belgians in the Belgian Congo/Zaire, did the least to prepare the native Africans to rule themselves.
Many people seem to think that if "white people" kept their hands off of Africa, then everything would be OK. I don't think that is true, just look at Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, but I don't mind if the Chinese beat their collective heads into a bloody pulp against the brick wall that is Africa.
I have yet to see an Altruistic African leader, other than perhaps Nelson Madela, rise up to become the President of his/her Country. As was noted by nawawimohamad, most African leaders are corrupt and are only interested in lining the pockets of their family and close followers. More often than not, they use their senior leadership positions as an opportunity to enrich themselves, not as a platform to improve the lives of the people who they rule.
Comment: you are the biggest racist ever nawaimohamad, if you don't have anything truthful to say just shut up and get out. By the way, don't your people have there own problems? Shame on you.
Comment: you are the biggest racist ever nawaimohamad, if you don't have anything truthful to say just shut up and get out. By the way, don't your people have there own problems? Shame on you.
Comment: You can't fix stupid, and nigz are the stupidest, most subhuman vermin on the planet! Back to slavery! Chains, ghettos and prisons are the *** natural state of existance!
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