Maravi

(HERALD) China, a giant that never bullies

China, a giant that never bullies
By Caesar Zvayi

TRUE friendship, it is said, endures in times of adversity in line with the adage, ‘‘in prosperity our friends know us, in adversity we know our friends.’’ Nowhere is this adage manifest than in the relationship the Communist Party of China, at the helm of China since the revolution, has handled the country’s domestic and foreign policy, turning China into a giant that never bullies.

This week, the CPC, which holds the distinction of having the largest support base in the world with a registered membership of over 74 million, holds its 17th National Congress.

A joyous occasion indeed given the way the CPC has presided over the domestic and foreign affairs of China, not only that but also the way it has steered the country to the development path, that today, is giving Washington, sleepless nights.

The CPC’s vision is manifest in China’s relationship with Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular, an all weather partnership that has found expression in the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation that brings together the Asian giant and friendly African countries in the spirit of South–South co-operation.

FOCAC is grounded on two key principles: Pragmatic co-operation to strengthen consultation and co-operation; and equality and mutual benefit to promote political dialogue, economic co-operation and trade for mutual reinforcement and common development.

This progressive approach puts into perspective pretentious western engagement with the developing world, which is of a top-down, exploitative nature and aimed at entrenching dependency to ensure that wealth flows from the South to the North in perpetuity.

The first Summit of FOCAC was held in Beijing in October 2000, attracting more than 44 countries and representatives from 17 international and regional organisations, the third forum was held in Beijing last year.

All the forums came up with landmark declarations and programmes of action aimed at building and enhancing synergies between China and Africa. FOCAC has since jolted the West into action, which is why the European Union has made it clear that this year, even Britain’s stubbornness over Zimbabwe will not be allowed to derail the EU-Africa Summit that cut its teeth in Egypt in December 2003.

This article, however, will not dwell on the wider relationship between China and Africa, but will focus on the bilateral relationship between China and Zimbabwe.

China-Zimbabwe relations can be traced to the early days of the Second Chimurenga when China helped Zimbabwean nationalists, with material, financial and logistical support to prosecute the liberation struggle.

Zimbabwean freedom fighters were trained by Chinese military instructors in revolutionary tactics, arms, explosives, communications and strategy in camps near Peking and Nanking; which is why the song, Nzira dzeMasoja (translated from General Mao’s song) was the code of conduct guiding guerrilla-civilian relations throughout the struggle.

Zimbabwean luminaries like the late Zanla commander, Cde Josiah Magama Tongogara were trained in China.

Even after independence, China and Zimbabwe maintained strong bilateral relations, which is why Zimbabwe was quick to declare the Look East policy, after the west imposed a raft of economic sanctions designed to bring the economy to its knees, taking with it, the Government.

When the US passed the so-called Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act in December 2001, a sanctions law that effectively cut Zimbabwe's lines of credit from all multilateral institutions, like any resourceful nation, Zimbabwe adopted the Look East Policy, to build on the synergies developed during the liberation struggle. This policy has seen trade between Zimbabwe and China growing much to the chagrin of westerners, some of who have declared war on the Look East initiative.

Though vehemently opposed to China's growing investments in Zimbabwe, the US government has conceded the virtues of China's policy in Africa describing it as pragmatic and primarily oriented towards economic and commercial goals.

US principal deputy assistant for African affairs, Michael Ranneberger, made the revelations as he presented a paper to the International Sub-Committee on Africa, Global, Human Rights and International Relations last year.

"Chinese-supported infrastructure projects are also complementing efforts to promote African growth; China’s experience in poverty reduction can be helpful to developing African countries, (and) China was an early supporter of the African Union, and has provided financial support for it."

Ranneberger said the US should not see China's engagement on the continent as a threat, but as an opportunity for co-operation.

"China is not a newcomer in Africa, but instead has a long-standing tradition of contact with Africa, dating back to early 15th century expeditions reaching Africa's Swahili coast.

"More recently, in the 1950s and 60s, when African nations were gaining their independence, China viewed emerging African nations as a part of a developing world alliance seeking political equality and economic control of their own destiny. A destiny which hitherto had been shaped by the western nations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries." he added.

Ranneberger said China's growing presence in Africa, which is more visible on the economic front, was a natural consequence of Beijing's economic growth. American acknowledgement of the virtues of China's influence in Africa puts Zimbabwe's Look East policy into perspective.

Over the past six years, Zimbabwe has forged stronger relations with Asian and Middle Eastern countries, by building on the synergies fostered during the liberation struggle. This has seen trade between Zimbabwe and China growing steadily, with China becoming the biggest investor in Zimbabwe at present.

Zimbabwe and China have entered into several investment deals that have mitigated the impact of the illegal western sanctions, a development that prompted detractors to allege that the Government was mortgaging the country to the Chinese.

Yet as Ranneberger pointed out in his presentation, ‘‘Africa-China trade doubled between 2002 and 2004, with two-way trade reaching US$21.6 billion in 2004, according to the International Monetary Fund. Africa's imports from China are increasing — from US$3,6 billion in 2000 to US$9.6 billion in 2004, and Africa's exports to China increased from US$4.5 billion in 2004."

In the first half of this year alone, bilateral trade between Zimbabwe and China amounted to US$205 million, almost equalling total trade for 2006 that stood at US$270million.

Chinese investment has been increasing over the years as Chinese companies and businessmen struck joint venture partnerships with Zimbabwean companies in manufacturing, mining, banking, agriculture and construction.

Some of these arrangements culminated in the delivery of passenger planes to Air Zimbabwe, fighter jets to the Air Force of Zimbabwe and buses to the public transport operator, the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company, and tractors among other things. Many other deals were secured during high-level visits between Zimbabwe and China.

It thus comes as no surprise that the US, which is vehemently opposed to Zimbabwe's Look East policy, can acknowledge the virtues of Chinese investment in Africa, which is testimony of the progressiveness of the Chinese approach.

In his address to officers of the Joint Command and Staff course at the Zimbabwe Staff College recently, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Yuan Nansheng, said his country encouraged increased investment in Zimbabwe.

‘‘On economic co-operation, we encourage more Chinese companies to invest in Zimbabwe based on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win results. We encourage the Chinese companies to take social responsibilities to benefit the ordinary Zimbabwean people.’’

Ambassador Yuan, said China opposes any external meddling in Zimbabwe's internal affairs as it believes Zimbabweans have the right to develop and benefit from their resources, and that Zimbabweans and their Government have the capacity to solve the problems on their own. In return Zimbabwe supports the one-China policy and does not recognise the attempted secession of Taiwan. To this end, China and Zimbabwe have maintained and exchanged high-level visits over the past seven years to the chagrin of some western nations keen to see the isolation of Zimbabwe. China has also used its leverage in the Security Council to frustrate western attempts to have Zimbabwe on the agenda of the UN Security Council.

On the cultural front, Chinese is already being taught at the Confucius Institute that was set up at the University of Zimbabwe. Ambassador Yuan said China would enhance exchanges and co-operation in education, science and technology, culture, public health, sports and tourism.

China also gave Zimbabwe the coveted approved destination status, and the number of Chinese tourists has been on a steady increase. Air Zimbabwe’s weekly flights to Beijing and Guangzhou have greatly helped in this regard.

Chinese investment in Zimbabwe has, however, received a fair share of constructive criticism, chief among which is the view that Zimbabwe has become a mere market for Chinese trinkets, some of which are not durable and have been derisively dubbed zhing-zhongs in street parlance.

Those well versed with Chinese industry, however, dismiss such notions saying China is a mega-economy that has something for everyone and every pocket.

Quality goods are there but they attract a high premium than the trinkets, traders buy in bulk.

Which is true as the western world relies on goods produced in China where economies of scale lower costs of production.

Others contend that Zimbabwe is being myopic by importing finished products from China instead of encouraging the setting up of factories here, which will not only produce the goods cheaper, but will also create employment for Zimbabweans. They point to the importation of FAW buses, instead of engine kits that could then be assembled at either Dahmer or Deven Engineering, again creating employment in the process.

Yet others say Zimbabwe is importing the wrong things from China. Instead of goods, they say, Zimbabwe should import knowledge and encourage the transfer of the same in line with the age-old Chinese adage "give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.’’

Labels: CHINA, THE HERALD

posted by MrK @ 3:36 AM