But China has not just lent financial support to secure goodwill. As parts of Africa were wracked by civil war in the 1990s, China used its leverage as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to ensure affected countries received funds and peacekeeping assistance.
The assistance was partly payback from China for the debt it owed many countries on the continent for backing the People’s Republic of China efforts to be recognized at the United Nations instead of the Republic of China (Taiwan), a shift that finally occurred in 1971. China received significant backing from African nations who themselves felt they had benefitted from the close, revolutionary ties that Mao had forged in the 1960s. China also, in many Africans’ eyes, acted as an even-handed player, accommodating either the Soviet or US position in a given African country depending on the ‘merits’ of their case.
Such ties have given China far better first-hand knowledge of African affairs than India, despite the latter’s closer proximity.
But India does have a crucial advantage—its political system is a lot more appealing than China’s. China may be awash with cash to invest, but numerous questions have already been raised about the effects of China’s investment in Africa, with some questioning whether the honeymoon is over.
India can capitalize on such reservations by ensuring it contributes robustly to peacekeeping forces in Africa, a move that would be smiled upon by the African Union. Indeed, the African Union shouldn’t be seen as the only worthwhile forum for India to court—the Economic Community for the West African States also has security capabilities that India could support.
In addition, India can work creatively to counter China’s use of, for example, former Portuguese colony Macau to court Lusophone countries for trade by turning to its own regions like Goa (another former Portuguese colony) and Pondicherry (a former French colony that could be useful in nurturing ties with Africa’s Francophone nations).
A century and more ago, Western colonizers of Africa had also subjugated Indian and Chinese interests. Fast forward to the 21st century and these two nations have an opportunity to project their might through an independent Africa.
Balaji Chandramohan is editor of World Security Network. He can be reached at: mohanbalaji2003@gmail.com
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william
The author is obviously very pro-India. But for all the hype and western media’s support “goodwill” writing about India being a counter weight to China in both economic and political perspective, India has failed miserably. The democratic political system of India is in shambles and is likened to that of a handicapped as many policies cannot be carried out because of the democratic system itself. Similarly, while the economy may growing which is inevitable in the sense that a country as big and as underdeveloped as India cannot do anything else but be growing. But the pace and its growth is still very much hindered by the democratic process as most people can see it being the true problem. India’s political system as it seems now, is no advantage or offers any hope for African countries to follow, at least not now.
Marco Hsiao
Diplomacy needs to consider the real history. The west European countries made ten millions of African black slaves, and tortured 1/3 of them to die in Europe’s ships in 17th and 18th century. It is worst record on violating human right, violating freedom and violating morality in world history. In 19th century, hundred millions of African people were slaved by immoral European countries, it is evilest invasion in world history.
Every suffering African country should get apology and compensation (US$ 20-40 trillion) from dirty European countries; the world must have human right, human dignity and justice. On the other hand, China and India both have far better record on human right and morality to Africa.
Confucius says “aid weak and assist fall is the responsibility of a great country” 濟弱扶傾; of course African people choose the better side and real friendship.
Xiaochen Su
“In addition, India can work creatively to counter China’s use of, for example, former Portuguese colony Macau to court Lusophone countries for trade by turning to its own regions like Goa (another former Portuguese colony) and Pondicherry (a former French colony that could be useful in nurturing ties with Africa’s Francophone nations).”
The difference between HK/Macau and Goa/Pondicherry is that the former has strong capitalist system and institutions left over from colonial rule while the latter has managed to have their vibrant colonial economy and identity completely destroyed with straightforward Indian annexation in the 1960s…
svetlana harris
China dispatches its secret weapon to Latin America
On the 31st of March, a little reported meeting took place in Bogota Colombia, between The President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and a Maltese businessman Shiv Shankaran Nair, President of British Borneo Holdings Ltd.
Mr. Nair , who reportedly spent almost two hours with the President and his team, was accompanied by his close friend and partner from Spain, Pedro Gomez de la serna Villacieros, a former Director in the Ministry of interior of Spain, under the People’s Party.
However our sources indicate that the reason for this hurriedly convened meeting was two letters carried by .Mr.Nair. Addressed to the President of Colombia from the Presidents of two of China’s largest companies, China Railways and China Harbour.
In the letters, Nair, was mandated to discuss with the Colombian President, the Mega Project to connect the Atlantic Coast of Colombia with the Pacific coast.
This project has been under discussion between the Governments of China and Colombia for some time, but without much progress, and it is interesting that the Chinese dispatched Mr.Nair to Colombia. Dubbed by the Diplomat magazine as “China’s secret weapon in Africa”, Mr.Nair has an impressive track record in closing Chinese financed projects in Africa. It will remain to be seen whether he can replicate this in South America. However, it can atleast be said that he has had a good start
Sanket
China definitely has more influence than India in Africa. But one must understand that Chinese investments have often generated a sense of resentment among the local population in the host country. This is because China uses its own labour for infrastructure projects in other countries.This deprives the local people of jobs and livelihood thus rendering the Chinese investments useless for the benefit of local people.There are also reports that Chinese prison labour is used.Since many African countries are authotaranian,they are able to ride roughshod over their peoples interests.But they cannot do so indefinitely.This is where India has an advantage. Its investments in social sectors plus the peacekeeping assistance has built a lot of goodwill among the local polulations in Africa and other countries. The most noted example is Afghanistan where India is the most loved country owing to its efforts in rebuilding the nation. Africa also needs rebuilding after years of colonial exploitation and cold war rivalries.The rebuilding must be economic,social as well as institutional. This is where Indian democracy and social developmental model can succeed over Chinese labour capitalism.But for that India needs to havea well defined “Focus Africa Policy”. Our prime-ministers and foreign ministers must match the Chinese in high level diplomacy by making regular visits to Africa.
zang wenbo
China’s secret weapon in Africa
CCEC signs 500 million $ railway line in Ghana, TCC signs 1 billion contract for upgrading Tema refinery, China Railways signs contract to upgrade Armenian railways, CSOC signs contract to upgrade naval flotilla of Ecuador….and so it goes, the relentless march of Chinese contractors, fuelled by cheap finance.
What these headlines hide is an astonishing fact, that China’s secret weapon in many parts of Africa, Latin America and NIS, is in fact a reclusive Maltese Indian millionaire.
Our investigative reporters have put together a picture of a man who flits across continents, whispering quietly in the ears of decision makers, selling them billion dollar dams, power stations and railway lines
From Nigeria to Senegal, and Ecuador to Chile, one single man has helped Chinese contractors win contracts totalling almost fifteen billion US$. What is ironical is that in the battlefield between Indian and Chinese interests, the Chinese’s’ most effective weapon is an Indian businessman based in Malta.
The Maltese businessman, Shiv Shankaran Nair, is the Chairman of British Borneo Holdings Ltd, a Maltese mini conglomerate with interests in oil and gas, security, public procurement and public advocacy. From his lair in the ancient fortress city of Valetta, built by the famous Crusader knights, Mr.Nair sallies forth on behalf of his Chinese paymasters, to sell developing countries, the modern tools of development. If it is a dam, in the middle of the Congo, or a power station in the Amazon or a railway line in the Karakum desert, Mr.Nair is the man you want, and of course if your country has some oil or iron ore or any other mineral, Mr.Nair has Chinese friends who will be more than happy to dig it up and cart it away to China
Nair’s company British Borneo Oil and Gas, has cooperation agreements with CNOOC , one the major Chinese oil companies (oil Intelligence July issue) as well as with Sinopec. Nair is also a special advisor to the President of Kalmykia, Kirsan Illyumzhinov, who is very well connected to the kleptocratic leaders of the Central Asian Republics. Nair and Illyumzhinov are reputed to work closely in the region.
Mr.Nair is a good example of how modern International trade and public advocacy have blurred the distinction between nationality and political relations
Ekuson Debango
Look here everybody. China is it. Everyone is trying very hard to outdo the master itself and everybody is doing a darn bad job of it-whether it is late-comer India, or America’s africom boondoggle or Europe’s “Africa is our backyard’ policy. Everyone needs to take the back seat and learn from the master tactician-China.