A substantial amount of literature about China’ investments in Africa particularly drew my attention. After all, it is surprising that such different parts of the world can be lead to interact wth each other. If the US constitution is color blind for some , international business seems so for everyone. The specificities, drawbacks and advantages have been smartly presented, but I thought it was now time to raise the question as to what extent Africa’s future is being written with the scenario of the past with Chinese hands. *

At first sight, China has taken several strategical steps to strenghten the cooperation with the Black continent. However surprising this assocation may be- who would have thought , twenty years ago, that communist China would be an instrumental economic power willing to extent its commercial influence in the most devastated lands in the world?- the parallel between China’s involvement and the glorious European one can easily be drawn. Substantially reported by the media, the Chinese involvement is seen as a threat, willing to deprive the resources from the Africans or also flooding the African market with low price Chinese products. Their involvement is also sometimes described as a tool to promote the Chinese economic model, a communist colossus with capitalist fingers which, eventually , is about to challenge the legacy of the western model of democracy as well as human rights. Peculiar enough, it seems that China gained African support by not questioning the interior affairs of the Africans countries. While France or GB tried to bring to the Black continent ‘enlightment and knowledge’ in keeping with Kipling’s colonialist theories, the Democratic Republic of China do not interfere whatsoever with the internal affairs of the African countries. However, what can be seen as a pragmatic strategy to exercise their power is merely a defensive tool to try to get the markets China needs.

Economically, The real impact of the Chinese involvement in Africa needs to be contextualized. For instance, in terms of oil exportation, the African continent sends 36% of his resources to Europe, 33% to the USA and only 9% to China. What’s more, the biggest companies dealing with the African resources are almost all Europeans. See Total, Shell, or BP. To that extent, Chinese’ investments in the African continent should first be taken for what they really are: mere economic investments in the last ‘developing’ continental market, which are by far nothing comparable to the European legacy and influence. Second, it seems that an imperialism is always accompanied by cultural, linguistic and religious transposition of values. From the riverbanks of the Nile to the Kilimanjaro, and from the end of South Africa to the beaches of the Mediterranean, you are likely to find the British, French and somewhat German legacies to the African continent. Christian schools, military hospitals, constitutions, and, more important, languages. China’s policy is singling out with the previous ones, to the extent that no interference is pressed, be linguistic, religious, political or cultural. Chinese restaurants are scattered all over the capitals, but you will hardly find Chinese schools, companies or missionaries as well established as European ones. Rather, China, somewhat traumatized by the Opium War, seems morally-or at least pragmatically- less willing to engage in any interference policies. This stand gained a tremendous support from the African leaders as well as the African peoples themselves, but will hardly turn to be as extreme as the colonialist one. Therefore, I would not worry about China as colonizing Africa in a modern way, because it lacks- at least for the moment- the elements of cultural, linguistic, religious and ideological domination. Politically stronger and under the watch of the International community, the African countries seems moreover better armed to fight any kind of colonialism. Dominated for over 500 years, the continent is now lagging in every field, and an attempt to control the resources, undermine the economic development or being the battlefield of giant powers’struggle to show their domination would be vain.

The real issue about China’s involment in not China in itself, but rather the consequences of such involvement on the political leaders. African countries have a long history of war, political turmoil and…corruption. Transparency is to be required to know where these investments are going, and an independent watchdog to control the investment flux is to me necessary. Although Chinese involvement in the African continent is not comparable to the European one, the effects might however be similar if the money management derives to corruption.

In sum, there is a substantial difference between the Chinese/African cooperation and the neo-colonialism of the previous imperialist powers. While the true nature of colonialism consisted of controlling and intervene in the internal affairs of the countries, as well as creating monopolies on resources, China is exercising a non-interference policy. I would not be afraid of China’ involvement in Africa. After all, Africa needs investments, and should not rely that much on the IMF or the World Bank. However, similarities might occur in terms of result: corruption of the elites, perverse growth that would benefit to a small class of the population, or more dangerous, to old-established family of leaders involved in arm businesses…