Authors:
- Dr. Kaze Armel, Lecturer, Xiangtan University, School of Law, China-Africa Research Institute
- Dr. LI YAN, Lecturer, Yunnan University, School of Marxism
Introduction
Africa and China have a long history of economic and political relations, dating back to the 1960’s when many African countries were gaining their independence from colonial powers. While establishing their first diplomatic relations, China has supported newly formed African states through foreign aid and investment, signaling China-Africa shared future, whether it is economically or politically. Since 2009, China has become Africa’s largest trading partner, a major source of infrastructure financing, and key player in regional and global affairs, and China’s modernization has been a source of inspiration to many countries from the Global South, especially African countries. However, in recent years, many critics have raised concerns about the nature and impact of China’s engagements in Africa, derailing China-Africa shared future willingness. Some suggest that China’s presence in Africa is mainly motivated by economic and political factors, considering that loans, grants, and infrastructure-for-resources are the main strategies for wooing Africans. Some other argue that China is exploiting remaining natural resources on the continent, others go beyond by imploring that China is creating debt traps, or undermining governance and human rights standards. Why such connotations? Is it because China has threatened colonial powers interests in Africa or is it about the overhyped debate about African countries’ high external debt problem? It is impertinent for African youth to understand those critics and take responsibility in addressing well China-Africa relations in the new era.
China-Africa Relations turned into critics: Its foundations
Ever since academics, policy makers and diplomats have been on hand to report China’s arrival on the African continent, its implications or engagements on the continent has been greeted with extremes of approval and dismay. Over the past few decades alone, there has been a spate of books, articles, studies, and commentaries, mostly in the West regarding China’s engagements in Africa. They reflect both fascination and apprehension, as they criticize China’s intake in many African countries resources share. Over the last century, many European empire-builders present on the African continent at the time applauded the import of Chinese contract laborers, who they believed would open up the continent by shouldering work on the new infrastructure such as roads and railways and in the Rand goldfields of South Africa, which their African counterparts were unwilling to perform. Others saw China’s presence as a lethal threat. They believed that Chinese laborers would slip out of their compounds, subvert the morality of the unspoilt natives, steal European jobs and businesses. In recent years, the critics practically remained the same, as China is still being seen as a threat to Europeans or post-colonial powers’ interests on the continent.
Another growing chorus of critics argue that China’s non-interference in Africa’s political affairs has done little to improve governance or uplift the lives of ordinary Africans, that somehow China is indirectly encouraging cycles of corruption, dependency, and stagnation. Apart from those critics, other argue that the growing influence of China in Africa raised concerns of Africa’s debt sustainability, environmental impact, and on top of that, support of authoritarian regimes. All these claims have overlooked China’s contribution to Africa’s recent development. A simple example is China’s willingness to fund Africa’s prestigious infrastructure such as costly expressways, railways, dams, etc. which many Western powers would not consider investing in. Many China’s funded infrastructure on the continent such as the expressway that connect Nairobi in Kenya and Kampala in Uganda; Bujumbura in Burundi to Kinshasa in DRC, etc. have actually made life easier for African elites and simple citizens. China has even moved to recalibrate its infrastructure finance by introducing the concept of “small and beautiful (???)” projects. These projects are being seen implemented on a large scale in many African countries, and no African host country can deny the huge impact of them, especially on simple African citizens. This is where African youth need to step up and bring a new light into this matter and address well China’s engagements in Africa. It is important for African youth to be good examples in painting well this picture and not be led astray by western media propaganda.
How to better address China-Africa relations critics: African Youth intake
It is impertinent for the youth, especially African youth to master the know-how in addressing China-Africa relations critics. We are living in a digital era, when it is easy to get access to information, and even more easy to be led astray by what is being perpetuated on different internet platforms. As African youth, I believe it is our responsibility to know how to get true information regarding China’s presence on the continent.
Firstly, it is important for African youth to be aware that it is not a question whether Africa is losing by engaging with China. On the contrary, Africa is actually also a winner, but it is up to Africa to know how to engage with China in a way that maximizes its benefits and minimize risks.
Secondly, it is our responsibility as African youth to address well China-Africa relations. China and Africa relations are being criticized not only by few Western media, but also by a handful of African media. African youth need to have a nuanced understanding of the opportunities and challenges that China’s growing presence on the continent bring. For instance, in trade and investment, African youth should step up and guide the narrative by supporting our African country leaders while refuting critics over China’s dept-trap allegations by addressing solutions rather than joining the unbalanced opinions perpetuated on different platforms.
Thirdly, the future of China-African relations, or even the turn of China-Africa critics narratives relies in our hand. It is up to China-Africa youth to find another way, a better way of addressing them. China-African youth connections, China-Africa youth collective efforts in handling China-Africa relations critics, whether using in a responsible way available platforms to spread well balanced China-Africa relations histories, build a more healthy and safe platforms to present our collective efforts in addressing those critics, either through academic think-tanks, or meetings or dialogues, will determine whether China-Africa relations will continue to grow even stronger.
Conclusion
China is considered as the “Asian Power”, and is likely to change its status from an emerging and developing country to a developed one. China despite being an emerging power, it is the biggest economy among all Global South, but it has never abused its power over its African counterparts, in a way, signaling its global power status, far different than what the US is showing to the African continent, for instance by bailing on the 2025 G20 meeting hosted by South Africa, imposing unbearable tariffs on African countries, or even the decision to freeze foreign aid on the continent. This should be a signal to African youth to better follow and understand where the biased China-Africa relations critics are headed. It is our responsibility as China-Africa youth to be able to distinguish what Western powers controlled media are feeding the youth on several platforms. As we live in a digital era, it is easy to be misguided by those critics, and if we are not careful, could lead us into an anti-China propaganda. China and Africa share the same values, as it is being witnessed in China’s many engagements on the continent. Even at the 2024 Beijing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasized that China and Africa relations are now being elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. This declaration reaffirms what China-Africa youth should be engage in hands in hands in addressing China-Africa common concerns. For now, it is important for China-Africa youth to engage together and making sure that China and Africa whether faced with geopolitical shifts, or even common issues such as climate change, peace and security, etc., China and Africa will remain each other’s trustworthy true partners.