Among Westerners, the economic partnership between China and Africa is often overlooked. But in "China Safari: On the Trail of Beijing's Expansion in Africa," Serge Michel and Michel Beuret examine the roots of this relationship -- and argue that China is engaged in a conquest of Africa that will have worldwide economic implications.
As French journalists, Michel and Beuret bring an acute awareness of their own country's colonial history to the China-Africa story. Michel, a former West Africa correspondent for Le Monde, has also reported from Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. Beuret, the foreign editor of the Swiss magazine L'Hebdo, has written extensively on human trafficking in China and Europe.
"China Safari" is a fascinating, provocative work of firsthand reporting that illuminates an important global economic story. The book also features a 16-page insert of color photographs shot by Paolo Woods, who puts human faces on the book's sprawling story and highlights some of the stark juxtapositions of African laborers and their Chinese bosses.
In 1976, under Mao Zedong, China completed the Tan-Zam railway, linking Zambia to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. But, as the authors note, Chinese inroads into Africa really got a kick-start in 1995, when President Jiang Zemin made a speech urging Chinese business leaders to "Go abroad! Become world players!"
Chinese business interests in Africa have grown dramatically in recent years. The authors say that bilateral trade between the regions quintupled, to $55 billion, from 2000 to 2006, and that the figure is expected to reach $100 billion by 2010. Chinese business interests in Africa range from oil, lumber, refining, agriculture, mining, textiles and banking to the construction of dams, railroads, highways, bridges, airports and housing.
The authors contend that China's ambitions in Africa are grandly geopolitical as well as economic. As Jacob Wood, a Shanghai-born housing developer based in Africa for more than 30 years, tells them: "I'm going to be honest with you, China is using Africa to get where the United States is now, and surpass it."
According to one report cited by the authors, there are now about 750,000 Chinese living and working in Africa, in countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, Sudan, Algeria, Congo, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Gabon, Guinea, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Egypt and Chad.
On the one hand, the Chinese invest heavily in infrastructure projects and create hundreds of thousands of jobs in return for being granted oil, mining and other concessions by African nations. According to the authors, Chinese "discretion and humility" are a breath of fresh air against a backdrop of "colonial arrogance" by France, Britain and other nations. In addition, the authors say, "Africa welcomes any competition that shakes up the Western, Lebanese and Indian business monopolies."
Many African leaders are enamored of the Chinese mix of authoritarianism and capitalism in business affairs, an emphasis on efficiency and a lack of preaching about human rights, the authors say.
"The Chinese build things, the Europeans don't," declares Claude Alphonse N'Silou, minister of construction and housing of the Congo Republic.
But there are increasing signs of trouble in the Sino-African economic paradise. The book says the Chinese have been criticized for selling arms to Sudan and Zimbabwe in the past, and for showing support for the Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe. The authors also cite a United Nations report that says that thousands of machetes used in the Rwandan genocide were imported from China.
And the everyday workplace is riven with accusations of mistreatment of African laborers by Chinese bosses, and accusations of virulent racism that seems to contradict the Chinese image of discretion and humility.
An opposition leader in Zambia, meanwhile, complains that his country is allowing Zambia to become "a province -- make that a district -- of China," adding, "There's nothing any minister can do when confronted by China's amoral scheming." The authors also cite instances of Chinese companies recently abandoning infrastructure projects without public explanation.
"China Safari" is hobbled by the fact that Michel and Beuret were often denied access to important business people and projects. As a result, the authors occasionally resort to rambling anecdotal narratives like one in which they trace the manufacture of plastic souvenir pyramids sold at Egyptian archeological sites to -- where else? -- China.
Despite the recitations of socioeconomic and cultural disruptions and workplace abuses, the authors reach what may be an overly sanguine conclusion. They contend that "China's arrival has been a boon for a continent adrift," adding that the Chinese have "given Africa a real sense of worth, as much in the eyes of Africans themselves as in the eyes of foreigners."
Still, it is not hard to join the authors in predicting that this joining of Chinese and African interests will likely succeed to the chagrin of the rest of the business world.
In exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Big Apple Circus has provided me with complimentary tickets to their show along with the opportunity for my giveaway of two opening night tickets. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.
The amazement as we began walking toward the large tent, wonders of what would happen. Magic? Clowns? Would there be elephants like all the “circus” movies or shows we’ve seen? Our excitement has built for many days now; due to the fact myself and Geraldo along with our daughters have never been to the circus. We searched the web from their website http://www.bigapplecircus.org to the famous Youtube of course. Every word and video kept us on the edge of our seats you could say.
So it beings here… I had to have the girls take a photo outside the large tent before sitting down. How many times in your life can you say you went to the circus? Well you can if you join the Big Apple Circus membership. (Found on their page http://www.bigapplecircus.org/join-and-give where you also can find contact phone numbers for more information.) After having an usher directing us to our seats we became amazed at the “small” yet spacious soundings. Count down starts… What is to come?!
First the comical clown, oh how I loved how he began the show. Catching our attention, interacting with the guests he had us laughing like hyenas. Next was seeing who was in the show, introducing of the cast members with a beginning show entrance.
From each moment we were enchanted into this circus with animals and circus members keeping our every attention. Elleanna was entranced and unable to keep her eyes off the performers for a moment; when intermission came she was not a happy camper waiting. So Isabella, Gerlado, Elleanna and I stepped outside for some popcorn, light up toys and shirts. We’re always looking for a keepsake as a memory piece for our adventures.
Rushing back to our seats hoping not to miss a thing, we realize how late it has been getting. A two hour show for The Big Apple Circus at 7pm is not very suitable for my girls with bed time of 8 which was when we had intermission (8:04pm to be exact). Their attitudes began to change from being excited and entertained to overwhelmed with sleep and fidgety. The second half of the show became very hard for mommy to keep the girls under control, though we wished the show was earlier in the day we had a magnificent time. From watching the camels, horses and dogs, goats and pig to the brother’s foot work and the bubble performance I must say The Big Apple Circus is one that I would go back to.
I felt as if we timed hopped back into the 1940’s (ok maybe later then that even.) entering the tent, wondering what it would have been like to have our entertainment be the circus coming to town rather than all these electronic devices that keep us cooped up in our homes. No longer playing outside for hours or a peaceful family conversation at dinner; but children and parents eyes glued to televisions, Iphone’s and Galaxy’s. This performance reminded me how much family time means to me, that the girls are only this young for a short period of time. We need to grasp every event, performance, and sport, along with outdoor outing that we can and make memories.
Thank you Big Apple Circus for putting the magic back into my eyes, my mind and my future. We will see you again soon.
If you have ever been to the circus what is your favorite part? The Food or maybe the keep sakes? Or is it the performance itself, captivating your attention with every motion like The Big Apple Circus?
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