China's economical and ethical rise in the African continent

Résumé du document

The paper is based on the theme of an article that emphasizes on China's role in Africa. We first learn about the contents of the article and then state the status quo of the collaboration between the country and the continent. After description, we will go through a critical thinking section that will make us think deeper about the situation. Indeed, we will take into account many parameters and consider the environment implicated and concerned about the partnership. The objective of the paper is to think about the ethical grounds that could be infringed and see how we could close the ethical gaps between the intentions, the actions and the results of the Sino-African partnership.

The article presents a book that describes China's activity in the African continent, its economical and ethical rise in Africa. The Sino-African partnership is well established and already very profitable for both the continent and the Asian country. Africa is given modern infrastructures and labor force in exchange to its natural resources. The book presents pros and cons, healthy partnerships but also flaws of its business relations.

After two years of observation in 12 different African countries, the two Francophile authors wrote a realistic status quo of what is going on so far in the western world. They are also warning about the key advantage China has. Indeed, China and Africa don't have the same objectives in the partnership. The Asian country is denounced to use Africa in order to move towards a greater scale; their ambition is not necessarily to stick with the Africans.

"It is indeed difficult to prevent some new situations and new problems from emerging in the course in which Sino-African cooperation is developing at high speed. However, when compared to the general interests of the Sino-African cooperation, these issues are merely problems during the progress and development. They can be completely solved through friendly consultation and deepened cooperation" (Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of China ).

China has a huge human resource that is demanding for work and power. Chinese are ambitious people who don't sit idly in their homes. One person out of five in the world is Chinese so they need much more resources than the ones they have in their territory.

China is interested in the raw materials that are present in the continent: mainly oil but also copper, timber, natural gas, zinc cobalt, iron, etc. Reciprocally, Africa also finds China appealing for a variety of reasons. A bilateral relation with China "provides an alternative to development and political economic reforms espoused by "the West" , the experience in economic development can be exported, and China's growing demand for natural resources make it complementary to African demand (D. Thompson, 2005).

For the Chinese, Africa is the future
China's economical reforms make it easier for entrepreneurs and opportunists to invest in foreign markets. Consequently in 2008, Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for more than 1 million Chinese people.

Extraits

[...] "Special Report: China Storms Africa" Zina Cherfaoui (2010), Opération razzia sur Ouaga N.a, Les entreprises chinoises jouent un rôle primordial dans les investissements en Afrique N.a (2010), China, Africa celebrate 10th anniversary of cooperation forum. Zina Cherfaoui (2010), Opération razzia sur Ouaga Lindsay J. Thompson, “Discerning the Ethics of the Corporate Citizenship” E. Wilson (2006), “China's Role in the world: Is China a responsible stakeholder in Africa” J. Hellström (2009), “China's emerging role in Africa, A strategic Overview” J. Hellström (2009), “China's emerging role in Africa, A strategic Overview” J. [...]

[...] This way of working has been criticized and pressured by the Africans[13]. The ethical challenge is to know whether China is supposed to repopulate Africa with its own labor because Chinese work better and there is not enough work for them in their own country, in that case some journalists would denounce neo-colonialism, or if Chinese are bringing some Sino workforce because they need to teach the Africans how to carry on work, in that case we can say Chinese are “performing”[14] their ethical act. [...]

[...] This project facilitated trades between Tanzania and Zambia as well as the neighboring countries. It is considered a symbol of friendship between China, Zambia and Tanzania. In 2010, the railway needed much renovation so China decided to give $39 million loan free to make sure TAZARA would continue working[20]. CONCLUSION China is undeniably helping Africa. Because this help intermingles people and requires handling a lot of money, there are some opportunists that will not comply fully with basic ethical rules. [...]

[...] Science and Technology: by inviting 100 African students to conduct their research in China. Financial systems: China lends 10 billion dollars to reinforce the financial system, invest in small African companies, and they annul all the debts Africa owes to China Commercial trade: 60% of the African products are not subject to tax when imported to China. Agriculture transfer of knowledge and creation of 20 agriculture centers to demonstrate new technological ways for agriculture Health: 3000 African doctors and nurse will be formed. [...]

[...] The China Beat, article, March 11th 2010, http://www.thechinabeat.org/?p= accessed on 20/11/2010 Fiona Dwinger (2010), “Combating Climate change: China's contribution to the expansion of Africa's renewable energy sector”, Consultancy Africa Intelligence, web article, 16th July 2010, http://www.consultancyafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i d=479:combating-climate-change-chinas-contribution-to-the-expansion-of- africas-renewable-energy-sector&catid=58:asia-dimension-discussion- papers&Itemid=264, accessed on 31st October 2010. Behar, Richard. "Special Report: China Storms Africa" FastCompany.com - Where Ideas and People Meet Fast Company June 2008. Web. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/126/special-report-china-in- africa.html, accessed on 20 Oct N.a, Les entreprises chinoises jouent un rôle primordial dans les investissements en Afrique web article, Chine Information, 16th May 2007, http://www.chine-informations.com/actualite/les-entreprises-chinoises- jouent-un-role-primordial-dans-les_6464.html , accessed on 26/10/10 N.a (2010), China, Africa celebrate 10th anniversary of cooperation forum. website, Forum on China-Africa cooperation, 26/10/2010, http://www.focac.org/eng/zfgx/t764084.htm, accessed on 26/10/2010 J. [...]