China's "new colonialism" in Africa

  China might be participating in a form of “new colonialism” in Africa. Last Monday, the Chinese president, Xi Jingping, announced that China will be investing $60 billion in financing for projects in Africa. This includes money for financial assistance, investments, and loans. Also, the president said he is going to encourage Chinese companies to invest at least 10 billion dollars in Africa in the next three years. President Xi declared their initiative to construct ports and other infrastructure projects. They claim that this will help the world achieve a “common prosperity” in a world filled with trade protectionism. Most of these investments will most likely be going towards transport and energy. Already, China has invested lots of money into Nigeria’s railway, and now Kenya, Ethiopia, and Zambia and also into drilling for oil. The Chinese government is completing all of these projects at no cost to the African nations. They are expecting to be paid back at a later time, so these weak and under developed nations are slowly going into more and more debt. Chinese companies have also established private contractors into the region who under-bid all local businesses on building projects, putting constriction companies in Africa out of business. It seems as if China has taken part in a new form of colonialism in Africa these past few years. China is infiltrating these nations’ economies and completely pillaging the continents resources. For example, in Sudan, they bought hundred of miles of arable land. The Chinese used this scarce farm land to grow crops using their own seed, fertilizer, and machinery and then exported all of the crops back to China. The African population received no benefit from this at all. The corrupt African leaders tell the media that China is leading them on a path to eventually become a dependent and developed nation. On the other hand, I predict that China will suck every ounce of resource from these countries and export them back to their own country. They will also cause Africa to go into such large debt that they will essentially be forced to do whatever China wants because of how much money they owe. Lastly, the opening of new ports into Africa will lead to a dramatic flow of businesses from China into these nations, where labor and resources are a lot cheaper. This situation, that I heard about in the news, reminded me a lot of the United Fruit Company in Macando. This American company entered foreign lands and completely took over their resources and exported the locals who worked as their labor. I hope China does not end up doing the same in Africa, but we shall see what happens in the future.