Relations Between China and Africa

Aren't relations between China and Africa supposed to be hunky dory? I mean, apart from the relentless and rather tiresome western criticisms about purported Chinese neo-colonialism, and how Beijing's no-strings attached assistance to Africa had encouraged human rights abuses, fuelled corruption, and deepened African debt problems.

Not so, according to authors Wang Zhengxu and Lim Tin Seng in their article China's Growing Influence in Africa (Interpreting China's Development, Ed. Wang Gungwu and John Wong, World Scientific Publishing, 2007).

They argued that one of the biggest problems in the less-than-rosy Chinese-African ties laid in the questionable "reliability of African governments." Some of them are still ambivalent about the One-China policy, while others may succumb to "Western pressure to take stances against China."

More importantly, many African governments are unpopular and undemocratic authoritarian regimes, hence domestic pressure may rise against the pro-China policy of these governments.

"For instance, during the 2006 Zambian presidential election, one candidate promised to "chase out" Chinese investors if he were to be elected."

"In South Africa and Zambia, protests against increasing Chinese imports are on the rise and are pressuring the government to take a more cautious stance against China."