Posted on 11/04/2006 2:53:25 PM PST by blam
China to double its aid to Africa
The African leaders are being given a warm welcome
China has pledged to double its aid to Africa and provide $5bn in loans and credits over the next three years. Chinese President Hu Jintao made the announcement as he opened a summit in Beijing attended by nearly 50 African heads of state and ministers.
The summit is focusing on business with more than 2,000 deals under discussion.
African leaders welcome their booming trade links with China, but critics accuse Beijing of dealing with repressive regimes.
Beijing says it is just doing business and has no political agenda.
'Historic'
"Our meeting today will go down in history," Mr Hu told the China-Africa summit.
"China will forever be a good friend, good partner, good brother of Africa," he said.
Beijing means business
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi remembered China's support during many African countries' fight for independence.
"Our main challenge now is not to fight colonialism, but fighting poverty and backwardness and achieving economic independence," Mr Zenawi said.
"Africa needs the support of its friends to overcome this challenge."
The city has been smartened up for the arrival of the African leaders, the BBC's correspondent Daniel Griffiths in Beijing says. Red lanterns hang from trees and posters celebrate Sino-African friendship.
Trade boost
Mr Hu said that China would double its aid to Africa from its 2006 level by 2009, although he gave no figures.
Beijing will offer US$3bn (£1.5bn) in preferential loans and US$2bn (£1.5bn) in export credits over the next three years, President Hu said.
It will more than double the number of goods which do not attract tax when imported to China from Africa.
China will train 15,000 African professionals and set up a development fund to help build schools and hospitals.
China's drive to buy African oil and other commodities has led to a big increase in two-way trade, worth $42bn (£22bn) in 2005.
Africa is also a growing market for Chinese goods, but critics say Beijing is stifling African manufacturing.
Some analysts have said Africa is the only place left to go, as most of the world's other big oil reserves are already being developed by major Western energy companies.
The three-day summit is concentrating on the rapidly expanding economic ties between the two sides, and many new business deals are likely to be announced over the weekend.
Many of them are expected to revolve around China's hunger for African mineral resources, particularly oil.
'Exploitation'
Some critics have voiced concerns over how Chinese-owned firms treat African workers.
Protests broke out in Zambia in July about the alleged ill-treatment of workers at a Chinese-owned mine, and there have been reports of pay disputes in Namibia.
Human Rights Watch said that all powers involved in Africa, including China, should place human rights at the centre of their policies.
"Africans do not need another external power enabling abusive regimes," the group said in a statement on Saturday.
Many economists argue that overall, China's growing economic ties to Africa are benefiting the region.
A watchful eye must be kept on Red Chinese activity in Africa as well as Latin America.
Trading one former colonizer for another. At least today Japan (the (former?) largest donor to subSahara Africa), Europe, and the United States are trying to develop Africa for at least a little altruistic reasons. The PRC is simply out to exploit for more resources.
"The PRC is simply out to exploit for more resources."
I can see what will happen when the money is skimmed off and the aid is used for new fleets of luxury cars, furs and European jaunts.
China will not be a benign Uncle Sap as it becomes more powerful.
Think the Japanese invasion of Manchuria without the polite polity.
Let China watch its money disappear down the bottomless pit that is Africa.
What are you typing about? Africa is largely stagnating, but the aid is to help them get priveleged access to Africa's huge mineral and oil wealth. The Chinese will probable get a large return, a return that could be at the expense of the the ordinary African.
I am talking about the fact that we have poured money into Africa, the UN has poured money into Africa, and it remains a gigantic mess. Now, the Chinese aren't being altruistic, so they may well get a different outcome.
City covered in giant posters as billions of dollars are spent on projects to win friends at summit - with no questions asked
Jonathan Watts in Beijing
Saturday November 4, 2006
The Guardian (UK)
City safari … Beijing was festooned with posters of African wildlife in the run-up to the summit, with the main shopping street adorned with wooden animals. Photograph: Jason Lee/Reuters
The most lavish party that China has thrown in more than 50 years got under way last night with high-pitched Peking opera, rhythmic African drumming and a gravity-defying display of acrobatics in the Great Hall of the People. This was a display of power as much as entertainment - the unique spectacle of a nation hosting a continent. The guest list for the opening banquet included almost every head of state in Africa, representing a quarter of the votes in the UN, a sizeable chunk of the world's natural resources and, combined with the hosts, a third of the planet's people.
Shrugging aside western concerns, Beijing extended the welcome to leaders vilified in the west, such as Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, both of whom were given the red carpet treatment. For others, including Egypt, nuclear exchanges were on the table.
(Articles continues, click on title)
Here is what we have put out for Africa...from
CRS Issue Brief for Congress; Africa: U.S. Foreign Assistance Issues
One can hardly fault the Chinese for looking for a strategic advantage somewhere, but those who think it is a good thing should remember that unlike us (who seem content to just throw our money in there) They are not doing it for altruistic reasons.
Let China watch its money disappear down the bottomless pit that is Africa.
Africa is a treasure trove. At present time many parts of boomtowns. Fortunes are being made by those with "gumption."
Like the farmers in Zimbabwe?
At some point, the Africans will eat the Chinese with a new sauce provided by the Chinese.
No, like the guys in Tanzania and the Congo shipping stuff out by the plane and boatload.
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