CHINA

China’s African Misadventures

Beijing has dramatically outpaced its rivals in Africa. But at ground level, things don't always look so rosy.

By Scott Johnson | NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Dec 3, 2007

« Return to Article

Discuss

Member Comments

  • Posted By: Shankardada2 @ 12/06/2007 2:25:05 PM

    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.

    • Posted By: djonesss @ 01/31/2008 10:34:49 AM

      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.

  • Posted By: kalroger @ 11/30/2007 6:17:53 PM

    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.

    • Posted By: Stoney @ 12/01/2007 10:55:27 AM

      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.

      • Posted By: Bornita @ 12/09/2007 8:29:31 PM

        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.

      • Posted By: Bornita @ 12/09/2007 8:25:45 PM

        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?

  • Posted By: Bornita @ 12/09/2007 8:19:07 PM

    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

  • Posted By: walt235 @ 11/30/2007 6:20:41 PM

    Stupid *** lover! Africa is a hell hole because *** are subhuman animals! You can't go against nature and you can't fix stupid!

    • Posted By: Festus @ 12/09/2007 11:27:12 AM

      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....

  • Posted By: SVB1 @ 12/05/2007 2:46:54 PM

    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.

  • Posted By: SVB1 @ 12/05/2007 2:40:38 PM

    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.

  • Posted By: Stoney @ 12/01/2007 10:50:44 AM

    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.

  • Posted By: Expat Observer @ 12/01/2007 5:15:21 AM

    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.

  • Posted By: Expat Observer @ 12/01/2007 5:13:51 AM

    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.

  • Posted By: hutule @ 11/30/2007 10:36:03 PM

    ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????90????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

  • Posted By: hutule @ 11/30/2007 10:35:51 PM

    ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????90????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

  • Posted By: hutule @ 11/30/2007 10:34:14 PM

    ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????90????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

  • Posted By: hutule @ 11/30/2007 10:33:07 PM

    ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????90????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

  • Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 11/25/2007 3:56:21 AM

    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!

    • Posted By: 260remguy @ 11/30/2007 6:55:18 PM

      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.

    • Posted By: davidif @ 11/28/2007 8:17:58 PM

      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.

      • Posted By: walt235 @ 11/30/2007 6:22:57 PM

        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!

    • Posted By: davidif @ 11/28/2007 8:18:18 PM

      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.

  • Posted By: walt235 @ 11/30/2007 5:47:49 PM

    You can't fix stupid! Africa is a hell hole, and so is everywhere else nigz infest en masse! Instant ghetto, just add nigz!

  • Posted By: mimiyodit @ 11/30/2007 1:27:09 PM

    The west had been exploiting the world. It is China's turn

  • Posted By: 1 proud american @ 11/29/2007 10:44:32 PM

    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

  • Posted By: America 1st @ 11/29/2007 10:41:01 PM

    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

  • Posted By: jabliizvesti @ 11/29/2007 9:48:50 PM

    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..

  • Posted By: Rudolph Raath @ 11/28/2007 5:30:35 PM

    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.

Reply

Report Abuse

Enter comments if any for reporting abuse