Learn From China Governance Africa
Around the world, opinion is divided on China’s increasing power and what it portends for the international community. While Beijing has received mixed feelings in much of Europe and in its neighborhood, according to Pew Research Centre’s December 2019 global attitude survey, emerging markets in Latin America and Africa have favourable view of the Asian economic giant.
A number of factors account for the positive perceptions of China in places like Africa. Top on the list is Beijing’s most comprehensive and far-reaching poverty reduction record in human history. In the 1980s, China was home to the largest population living in extreme poverty. In just under three decades, the country has turnaround its economic fortunes – lifting millions out of poverty. This year, China is primed to shove away the last shackles of poverty and leap into a moderately prosperous society.
African countries have watched China transition from a net recipient of aid, some of which came from the continent; to an economic behemoth – blazing a different path of political, social and economic organizing. The continent, on the other hand, became home to the largest band of humanity living in poverty. 100 million more Africans live in extreme poverty today, compared to the 1990s, a situation that has only worsened in the wake of the global health crisis.
In the last two decades, China has intensified its cooperation with Africa, beginning with the founding of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in the year 2000. In 2009, Beijing displaced the United States as Africa’s largest trading partner. China has equally ramped up investments and development assistance to the continent in a bid to hoist Africa’s productive sectors for accelerated economic growth.
The China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University reports that China has so far advanced 1077 loan facilities amounting to US$ 147 billion, to different African countries. In terms of sectors, top gainers include transport (44.2 billion), power (37 billion), mining (18.6 billion) and communication (9.3 billion).
The China brand has been well interwoven into Africa’s development fabric. Furthermore, Beijing’s policy of non-interference in domestic affairs of African states has struck a special cord with Africa’s ruling elite.
Irrespective of type, governments generally function to deliver similar services to the people. Beijing has had relative success in providing wide ranging public goods such as security, healthcare, education, transport systems, and industrial value chains.
