Western countries' African exploitation claims unfounded

BEIJING - Western media have described Chinese cooperation with Africa as a form of "new colonialism," alleging that China exploits the continent's resources and exports goods created with those resources back to Africa.

However, they neglect to acknowledge the high-risk, low-profit investments that have addressed the needs of Africans. Western countries also fail to realize that they benefit from Chinese investment in Africa.

Africa is enjoying an explosion in infrastructure construction, largely due to the efforts of Chinese companies operating across the continent.

While western countries are not interested in such high-risk and low-profit investments, Chinese companies are finding a way to fit into the picture and build African roads, railways, pipelines and ports.

Infrastructure construction will allow African countries to boost their manufacturing capacity and eventually achieve self-resilience.

Western countries also benefit from China's investment in Africa, as they sit on the higher end of the global value chain. Since China is an outsourcing production base in the global value chain, the minerals it imports from Africa not only serve the country's own consumption, but the world's.

China's appetite for resources is also determined by its position on the global value chain. In a globalized world, China-Africa trade relations are not only bilateral, but also a part of international production distribution.

Western companies also benefit by selling machinery to Chinese plants operating in Africa. These companies' trade relations with Africa seem less defined only because they operate on the higher end of the global value chain.

There is no point in trying to pick a "winner" in China-Africa trade relations or in trying to pit China against Africa, as their trade is complementary. Exporting manufactured goods is only a small part of the picture, as China also transfuses capital and technological know-how into the continent.

China's accumulated direct investment in Africa topped $15 billion as of the end of last year, according to official data.

Figures issued at the fifth Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) ministerial meeting held last July showed that China has helped local communities build 100 schools, 30 hospitals and 20 agricultural technology demonstration centers across the African continent. China has also trained 40,000 technicians in African countries.

At the meeting, former President Hu Jintao pledged to send 1,500 medical personnel to Africa, implement the "African Talent Program" to train 30,000 personnel in multiple sectors, offer 18,000 scholarships and build cultural and vocational training facilities in Africa.

New Chinese President Xi Jinping's ongoing visit to three African nations also sends a clear message that China wishes to forge ahead in developing mutually beneficial cooperation.

Xi has pledged to expand investment and financing cooperation with Africa and follow through on a commitment to provide a $20-billion credit line to African nations from 2013 to 2015. He has stressed that China will not only provide loans, but also training programs.

At a press briefing held before Xi left Beijing, Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun stressed raising the quality of the China-Africa trade partnership, saying "making quick money and leaving is a myopic action."