The Chinese way of building in Africa - Howard French

+Howard French 

Chinese building projects are popping up all over Africa. But mostly those construction projects are no partnerships with locals, but Chinese ventures tend to be all Chinese, author Howard French of China's Second Continent tells Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera:

But while China is building new infrastructure across Africa, journalist Howard French points out that, rather than partnering with local companies, many of the infrastructure projects are funded, designed and implemented by the Chinese, using Chinese materials. “I’ve been on projects where even the people pushing wheelbarrows are Chinese.”

“Win-win is a propaganda slogan,” he says. “It’s not an accurate description of this sort of arrangement. Imperialism evolves. It’s different from age to age. The circumstances change. What doesn’t change is the balance of power between the two parties that are engaged in the Imperialism.”

In discussing new Chinese-built ports, he adds, “This is what imperial powers do. They build ports so that they can send their goods to that country and so that they can export from that country to their markets the things that they need from that country.”

More in Al Jazeera.

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.

Are you interested in ore stories by Howard French? Do check our regularly updated list here.

Related articles

• Another era of exploitation as East and West scramble for Africanistan
• Two major myths on China-Africa relations - Howard French
• Chinese racism in Africa - Howard French
• Giving Chinese and Africans a voice - Howard French
• One million Chinese building an empire in Africa - Howard French
• China in Africa