The simplicity of China-Africa relations

Mobhare Matinyi, Washington DC. The Citizen, Tanzania. Sunday, 31 March 2013 20:30.

Just ten days after taking office as the leader of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping landed in Tanzania on Sunday to begin his three-nation historic tour of Africa that included South Africa and the Republic of the Congo. He had just concluded his first foreign tour in Russia.

President Xi’s visit to Russia was explicable, but his decision to come to Africa before anywhere else stunned and even angered Western capitals and their biased press which always sees the worst side of Africa. He didn’t care!

Perhaps what was more surprising was Xi’s decision to start his visit in Tanzania, arguably the real friend of China in Africa for five decades now. Fine, a third of Sino-Africa trade is with South Africa, and Congo-Brazzaville supplies crude oil, but why Tanzania?

To quickly recap, Tanzania started relations with China immediately after the independences of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, and continued after the unification in 1964. Tanzania and China signed the Treaty of Friendship in February 1965 when President Julius Nyerere visited the country in the first of his five visits although economic, technical and military relations had already started in 1964.

Several agreements and visits by civilian and military leaders of the two countries followed including three Tanzanian presidents who came after Nyerere, and three Chinese premiers starting with Zhou Enlai in 1965, Zhao Ziyang in 1983, and Li Peng in 1997.

When the then Chinese president, Hu Jintao, visited Tanzania in February 2009, the leader of the world’s most populous nation and the emerging superpower noted admirably in his speech that the China-Tanzania relationship had become “a model for both China-Africa and South-South cooperation.”

The stories of China and Tanzania go centuries beyond modern history, a reason why Kilwa archaeological excavations recovered many Chinese coins dating to the Song Dynasty which ruled China between 960 and 1279. Yes! That far back!

The Chinese will never forget how Tanzania led other African nations in supporting Beijing’s efforts to regain its seat at the United Nations, kicking out the Taiwan-based Republic of China.

Between the two friendly countries there is a lot to justify their closiness, like the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (Tazara), and much more in foreign policy and ideological matters to warrant Xi’s decision to pay such an honourable visit to the United Republic of Tanzania. Putting it short and simple, Tanzania and China are friends in need and indeed.

But again, why did he choose to visit Africa after Russia, snubbing the big powers? President Xi wanted to send the message that China is serious about its relations with Africa. Why Africa? Well, historical ties are there, but in addition to that China needs Africa and Africa needs China, and between them there is neither hypocrisy nor hidden agenda.

I like the way Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete puts it every time the Western press bothers him. In one incidence in December 2011 he said: “Africa needs markets for its products; Africa needs technology and infrastructure for its development. China is ready to provide all that. What is wrong with that?”

Speaking in Washington DC in 2009 at the United States-Africa Business Summit, President Kikwete told Americans: “Why complain about China? Just come to Africa and invest the way the Chinese are doing.”

There is nothing complicated between China and Africa; it is give and take. Africans are aware of the situation that exists currently in which China seems to benefit more, but these things can be settled out with time and without the help of the West. Some of these challenges are counterfeit products, the sudden growth of the Chinese diaspora in African cities, and the poor quality of Chinese workmanship.

But I don’t agree with those who lament that China buys raw materials from Africa but brings in finished goods. Come on! Who prevented Africans from doing the opposite?

As we speak today, annual China-Africa trade stands at $200 billion, and if the trend continues Africa will soon surpass the sluggish economies of the US and the European Union. Shockingly, US-Africa trade stands slightly below $100 billion, while the EU is taking forever to conclude an economic partnership agreement with Africa.

If that is the case then, why should President Xi bother about the “powerful” West? Is that difficult to figure out? Again, China has what Africa needs and Africa has what China needs, and that is all we need in our mutual understanding and respect as Xi told the world and Africa on Monday. Nothing is complex!

Probably, it is time for those who trumpet aloud about new Chinese colonialism to Africa to be realistic. Africans want to move forward and they have no time with anyone who wants to impose their will on others. Africans are growing tired of receiving charitable donations and being lectured endlessly; let the world understand!