Backlash on China in Africa

By Henry Srebrnik, [Saint John, NB] Telegraph-Journal
 

China is now the single largest bilateral financier of infrastructure in Africa, surpassing the African Development Bank, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank and the Group of Eight (G8) countries combined.

For pro-China African politicians and incumbents, engagement with China means immense job creation, much-needed infrastructure and, most significantly, the chance to meet electoral promises with an injection of foreign capital with few conditions.

But some countries have had second thoughts. The decisions come amid concern that many African countries risk defaulting on their debts to China. They also see Beijing as a new colonial power.

Sierra Leone recently cancelled a $400 million Chinese-funded project to build a new airport outside the capital, Freetown.

Former President Ernest Bai Koroma signed the loan agreement with China before he lost an election in March to current President Julius Maada Bio.

The latter said he didn’t see any need for it, and called it a “sham.” 

At the time, the World Bank and the IMF warned that the project would impose a heavy debt burden.

Zimbabwe’s election last summer suggested that an increasing number of Africans have less enthusiasm for China’s assistance.

Opposition candidate Nelson Chamisa evoked strong anti-China rhetoric to galvanize popular support against the incumbent, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Chamisa promised to expel Chinese businesses if he won, though he lost.

Since extractive sectors are often at the core of African economies, foreign involvement or domination of these can elicit popular discontent. 

China’s increased interests in these sometimes leads to negative feelings, especially when there are reports of mistreatment of local mine workers or increased Chinese involvement in unregulated mining activities.

The documented hardships suffered by Zambian mine workers in Chinese-owned mines in recent years explained the anti-China popular fury that fueled Michael Sata’s presidential victory in 2011.

And Zambia’s government recently had to publicly deny reports that China could seize some of its companies if it defaulted on loan repayments.

In Ghana, Chinese involvement in illegal artisanal gold mining incurred local resentment, which featured in the 2016 vote that elected President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Episodes involving discriminatory behavior by the growing Chinese work force in Kenya have unsettled many people.

 “They are the ones with the capital, but as much as we want their money, we don’t want them to treat us like we are not human,” contended David Kinyua, who manages an industrial park that is home to several Chinese companies.

Accusations of discrimination have even emerged on a $4-billion state-sponsored project: a 480-kilometre Chinese-built railroad between Nairobi and Mombasa.

In July, a Kenyan newspaper described an atmosphere of “neocolonialism” for Kenyan railway workers under Chinese management. Some have been subjected to demeaning punishment, it said, while Kenyan engineers have been prevented from driving the train, except when journalists are present.

Clearly, China’s involvement on the continent is a mixed blessing.