Africa -China Review Africa -China Cooperation and Transformation
Published: September 05,2024
By Mweusi Karake
A few months ago, my eight year old granddaughter Tona, leaned a new expression: “quid pro quo,” Since then she takes every opportunity to use and misuse it, especially when dealing with me and serious and very light issues. I may ask her to get me a glass of water and her reply would be “what is the quid pro quo”? I haven’t bothered going deeper in explaining that,“Quid pro quo” is the act of doing something in exchange for something of equal value. Instead in an attempt to improve her knowledge I have also told her that there is something called “Pro Bono” the latter does seem to interest her very much. I like her latest attitude of knowing the saying goes that “there is no free Lunch.”
If eight year olds are beginning to understand that there is nothing for nothing, we should be asking ourselveswhat is in it for both parties – China and Africa. The theme for this year’s Summit is: “joining hands to advance modernisation and build a high level China-Africa Community with a shared future.”
The “quid pro quo” is clearly stated this year’s forum theme, especially the last three words “a shared future”Critics especially are breathing fire asking how a country could summon a whole continent and Africa responds.
First of all thanks to china’s resistance to colonialism, it a huge country geographically; more than 9.7 million square kilometers, bigger than the mighty USA and much more than the UK with a less than one 10th of Algeria with 2,381,741 sq km, yet I have never heard any one complain about US –Africa Summit, nor UK Africa Summit! despite her size.
We could also talk about the population. On top of that, China has a population of more than 1.4 billion people,on the contrary UK has just a population of 68 Million. That is less than one third of the population of Nigeria. Actually if critics were honest to themselves, they ought to ask “what is China looking for in Africa’, or better still “what is the quid pro quo” for Africa too must had a pull factor?
Population and demography
Population does matter. I didn’t matter in the past but it matters today and tomorrow. Africa in terms of the population Africa like China has above 1.4 billion people. That population in addition to African population is young, and is shedding off the colonial mentality of adoring western models. Being the youngest continent, it means that it has the biggest population that is able and willing to learn and adapt to new outlook and way of life. Africa middle class is rising fast, whereas the global north in particular NorthAmerica and Europe the middle class is shrinking due to several factors such as monopoly capitalism that has put wealth in the hands of the few, and aging population that is supported by fewer and fewer young people.
The young growing middle class in Africa has basics that they are looking for. A beautiful affordable car, household appliances, TV, fridge, cooker etc. Middle class of my age waited for Japanese, Europeans todeclare cars unworthy their roads or air pollution standards to afford a second hand car.
Today in Kigali the capital of Rwanda, a brand new DONGFENG/AEOLUS 5 seat SUV car costs $26000, with favorable payment plans. A young graduate can get the entire needed house hold appliance cooker, fridge, TV, micro wave etc, for as little as $1000. His counterpart in the US will need almost double since the US will have slapped 40% protective taxes.
In Kigali, it has become literally a self-imposed rule that any new house has to have tiles thanks to affordable Chinese ceramics. African does not put any punitive taxes on Chinese good and neither does China.Why do I refer to the affordability of what is moreluxury to our young graduates and growing middle class? It is no secret that a happy middle class is good for national economy and security.
China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner and last year (2023) the trade volume reached a record 282.1 billion US dollars, growing from US$261 billion in 2022. Someone is going to scream “your middle class in promoting China’s industries!” No, China is also importing from Africa agricultural produce and other resources, and indeed FOCAC serves as a channel to make such commitments. For example during the last FOCAC summit held in Dakar, Senegal in November 2021, China committed to importing goods worth $300 billion from Africa between 2022 and 2024. The 9th FOCAC will make even bigger commitments.
Harnessing the gifts of nature:
With the exception of a few countries north of the Sahara, and the extreme southern Africa, the rest of Africa, enjoys 365 days of sunshine a year. China leadsthe world in wind and solar energy, with twice as much capacity under construction as the rest of the world combined. So in this field of renewable energy, Chinaand Africa have an excellent symbiotic relationship. We the sun, they have the most affordable solar panels. No need to drill no need for fuel refineries, so Africa has the energy, China gets the market for the solar panels. I don’t think this is too difficult science to explain even to my 8 year old granddaughter Tona, where the quid pro quo lies.
My city Kigali is full of 100% public electrical buses. Imagine a situation where we are able to put up recharging solar power station using our nature given sunshine at the equator. Almost zero cost, save for the infrastructure. Should any sane leader put prohibitive taxes to these facilities?
Added to electric buses, estimates suggest that there are as many as 110,000 motorcycles in Rwanda of which 70,000 are used taxies known in Rwanda as “moto-taxis”. Currently, around 30,000 motorcycles are thought to be operating in Kigali, Rwanda capital city. Of late the most popular are Chinese made electrical bikes. Beside almost zero carbon emissions, think of that number of jobs created, and the multiplier effect. Restaurants that feed these young men and women “motari” as they known in Rwanda, and several dependents.
At a press briefing held on July 31, 2024, regarding the preparation of the 2024 FOCAC, the Chinese foreign affairs spokesperson Lin Jiang pointed out that theFOCAC meeting this year would jointly renew friendship, discuss cooperation and map out the future. Noting mutual respect, equal treatment and joint consultation are important features of the FOCAC; Lin further said that the two sides were in close communication and consultation on relevant preparatory work, including the relevant activities of the summit. “It is believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, the 2024 FOCAC Summit will be a full success, open up new horizons in China-Africa relations and write a new chapter in building a China-Africa community with a shared future,” Lin added
Lin emphasized “mutual respect, equal treatment and joint consultation” are important features of the FOCAC, Lin said the two sides are in close communication and consultation on relevant preparatory work, including the relevant activities of the summit.
The above statements are not mere rhetoric, and that is exactly what has been in the China-Africa cooperation, despite her economic might. China does not come toAfrica with a paternalistic approach, preaching to Africa about democracies and “our way of life” as part of the pre-condition for cooperation. China and Africa are not just forging a shared future but also a shared present and indeed have a shared historical past. As I have pointed out in my past articles China played a big role in Africa’s liberation struggles and in return Africa was instrumental in readmission of China into the UN. Africa does not forget friends, and China does not take friendship for granted. As we wait for the outcome of the FOCAC 2024, I wish I could have an audience with those who question the three yearly FOCAC Summit,that there is a huge “quid pro quo” from china and Africa.
Mweusi Karake is a regional integration advocate formerly with COMESA
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