China’s growing ties with Africa

What you need to know:

  • The next day, on Tuesday, he was the guest of honor at a special session of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in dialogue with world political parties which was reported to draw attendance from around the world, and it was the second such meeting after the inaugural one was held in Beijing, China.

President John Magufuli had a busy start to this ending week. He is a president who is more preoccupied with domestic concerns than regional or global concerns. As the week started he attended a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a leadership college in Kibaha which will be in honor of Mwalimu Nyerere-a titan of Africa’s liberation struggles.

The next day, on Tuesday, he was the guest of honor at a special session of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in dialogue with world political parties which was reported to draw attendance from around the world, and it was the second such meeting after the inaugural one was held in Beijing, China.

In these two events, local media focused on two things which seemed relevant to their audience.

On the first event in Kibaha, the focus was on President Magufuli’s claim that CCM will rule forever as there is no (political) alternative, and he urged CCM members to walk with their heads held high. In the headlines which followed, his comments were considered “controversial”. That he was oblivious to historical facts on the matter. And undoubtedly, to some, this was another round of arrogance displayed by long ruling power,which its critics accuse that its led-government has systematically undermined political pluralism.

However, from a different perspective, President Magufuli was speaking in the presence of seven other ruling parties which have never lost power. South Africa’s ANC, Zimbabwe’s Zanu-PF, Angola’s MPLA, Mozambique’s Frelimo, and Namibia’s Swapo. Add China’s CPC. In such company, it is easy to see why the president said what he said. That, there is no political alternative is not something new, it has been said before and undoubtedly, it is one of the reasons why many Tanzanians identify themselves more with CCM than opposition political parties.

On the second event in Dar, the headlines focused on the long history of relations between Tanzania and China. President Magufuli argued at that event with its development (economic) theme paths “suitable to national situations”, for Africa to develop, among other things, it needed genuine development partners like China, true friends as it were, of the continent and its people. This too is nothing new from African political leaders and critics of the West’s engagement with Africa where they lament Africa’s treatement which they see it being equated to a constantly failing student who needs harsher measures and lecturers time and again to improve her performance. China treats African countries like “equals”, unlike Western powers whose approaches have failed to work and are seen as intrusive to the poor countries’ sovereignty.

But is this all there is to China’s ever growing engagements with Africa? The headlines did not go that far.

China will be footing the bill for the construction of this college. With reports in March indicating that China has plans to form an international development agency, much like the rest of the economic powerhouses in the West, it has “gifted” the African Union its new ultra-modern headquarters in Addis Ababa Ethiopia; it is building the new Ecowas headquarters in Nigeria; it is funding the construction of a new parliament in Congo, and has long been a key player on the continent with its massive infrastructure projects. China understands African political leaders in ways Western powers cannot, partly because of stereotypes, and partly because of their condescending attitudes towards the continent and its political leaders.

With the Western alliance in a state of flux courtesy of Donald Trump, an increasingly assertive China’s foothold in Africa grows stronger. The unfortunate reality is that, Africa’s position whether marginalised or at the centre, other powers draw up the rules of the game. While it is true that China’s treatment of Africa is massively different from that of Western powers, it has its limits; the “don’ts” as it were like the status of Taiwan. No ambiguity can be tolerated on the matter. It is an easy trade-off. In a continent with a long tradition of non-interference in domestic affairs of other African countries, Africa as well understands China in ways that Western powers cannot. Each of these “equal” partners is careful not to step on any toes of the other dancing partner.

It is still early to say with certainty on the long term impacts of the current state of affairs regarding China-Africa relations. What can be said with certainty is that China has mastered dancing to the local tune, and in tapping into the political education of the continent’s future political leaders, it is assuring itself of continued influence with the passage of time.