China offers Africa more leverage - Howard French

Howard French

Former colonial powers have been anxiously watching how China has been entering Africa. While it is too early to give a final verdict, former foreign correspondent in Africa and China Howard French sees more positive than negative effects, he tells in AllAfrica.

AllAfrica:

Although it is still too early to tell what China's and India's impact on Africa will be, "it's potentially more positive than negative," says Howard French, former New York Times bureau chief in China and a fellow with the Open Society Foundation researching Chinese migration to Africa. 

"Africa has for a long time been stuck in a position with few options of whom it wants to trade with," French said. 

With China and India competing for investment opportunities alongside Europe and North America, African nations now have a multitude of potential trading partners to choose from. And more leverage to set the rules... 

"The Chinese state is surely a major motor of economic activity in Africa. But India is equally striving to boost its investment in resource extraction on the continent," said French.

More in AllAfrica.

Howard French is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.

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