(A short note written for the Asymmetric Threats Contingency Alliance (ATCA) dated 6 November, 2006)
May I share with ATCA the substance of my recent TV interview on the China-Africa Summit with BBC Asia:
First, it is facile to brand China's African engagement as anything but altruistic. Could you please name me one country totally blessed with that virtue? Such engagement is of course founded and developing on the basis of mutual needs and benefits. China is thirsty for African oil (now a third coming from Africa, especially Angola) and other natural resources needed for her own breakneck development, if only to diversify her increasing external dependence. Africa is not yet at a stage of industrial efficiency to be able to compete with China on manufactured goods. So mutual benefits translate into trade, largely based on raw materials on the one side and affordable household products on the other. Such trade has already expanded from about USD 10 billion to nearly USD 40 billion in five years, as pointed out by the ATCA introductory article. This is set to double in a few years' time.
Apart from resources, China naturally needs Africa's support on her One China Policy and on developmental issues in multinational forums especially the United Nations, while Africa welcomes China's support for the solidarity amongst developing countries.
Second, as highlighted in the ATCA introductory article, there has been a great deal of other development-friendly initiatives on China's part, including commercial investments, ranging from building basic infrastructure such as highways and power plants, debt and tariff reduction, assistance in education and technology transfer, to public health. Over the years, China has been sending over 15,000 doctors treating over 180 million African patients.
The World Bank and other international agencies are finding that such help is bringing about significant progress in the development of an increasing number of African countries. However, as in the case of globalisation affecting other countries, this engagement process has not been entirely painless. Zambia, for example, has been accusing China of decimating local jobs and less than generous treatment of local workers.
Third, China is long on practical help and short on homily. While this is in line with her foreign policy of non-interference, she has been criticized by the West of turning a complete blind eye to African corruption and abuses of human rights. There are signs, however, that China is beginning to learn how to become an even more constructive international stakeholder, as in the case of her recent stance towards North Korea and in her recent movement towards pressing Sudan to accept a UN peacekeeping force.
Fourth, China's African engagement is consistent with her global approach to development, whether in Africa, Latin America, Asia or the Middle East. It is a strategy and philosophy based more on cooperation and dialogue rather than confrontational coercion, more on mutual trust and benefits rather than rivalry, more on diversity and equality rather than a one-size-fits-all formula with scant regard for history, culture, religion and different stages of development. In short, China's exercise of Soft Power is paying dividends, not only to herself but to the development of the less developed world.
The China-Africa Summit is a celebration of 50 years of China's diplomatic relations with Africa. China's African engagement in fact began as early as the Ming Dynasty (if not even earlier) when one of Admiral Zheng He's many peaceful overseas missions sailed to touch base with East Africa. Perhaps the world could do more with this ancient Chinese art of Soft Power and a little less of Hard Power?
Andrew K P Leung, SBS, FRSA
