Cooperation in sight in Africa

China Forum | Cui Ge

The US and China should work together and avoid a zero-game to help promote the sustainable development of the continent

The first-ever summit meeting between the United States and 50 African leaders held earlier this month in Washington has brought Africa to the forefront of US foreign policy.

It seems US President Barrack Obama is determined to further upgrade the US' engagement with African countries, by following his predecessor George W. Bush's footsteps.

The US pledge of $33 billion, as new financial commitments to the continent, looks impressive. The strong advocacy from both US officials and African leaders for the renewal of African Growth and Opportunity Act, which is to expire in September 2015, also looks set to be approved by the US Congress. These will promote relations between the US and Africa to an even higher level.

While the US and African countries cheered their achievements at the summit, international relations observers from both China and the African continent began to worry that closer US-Africa ties might challenge China's market share and even lead to conflict of interests between the two countries.

However, this anxiety will be unnecessary if Washington and Beijing choose to be partners, not rivals, in Africa. The investment and policies of China and the US in Africa are not a zero-sum game. The two countries have shared interests in Africa and there should be more cooperation than competition on this continent, especially in such fields as infrastructure construction, stability and safety for foreign investment, and the battle against AIDS. Not to mention joint efforts to fight the Ebola virus.

The US could benefit from China's efforts to improve Africa's infrastructure, whereas the US' investment in Power Africa Initiative and its demand for a better environment for private businesses in Africa will also bring benefits to China.

The two countries should not always treat each other as rivals or opponents. This is especially important for the US considering that its media are continually claiming China is a threat to the US' interest in Africa.

Since 2013, China has consolidated its preeminent position in trade with Africa. Up to now, China is far ahead of the US in terms of its overall trade with Africa.

Due to their disparity in technology and investment priority in different fields and different countries, fierce competition between the two countries on the continent is rare at present. Both countries' efforts to deepen their relations with Africa are just a natural response to the development opportunities the continent offers to the rest of the world. Hence, cooperation between China and the US in Africa and China-US-Africa trilateral cooperation can help promote the continent's sustainable development as well as serve the national interests of both China and the US.

Africa could be an ideal platform for China and the US to set an example to the rest of the world in establishing a new type of relations between major powers.

Admittedly, the prospects for cooperation do not necessarily mean there would be no conflict of interests. The US will from time to time accuse or put pressure on China and African countries in such issues as democracy and human rights, even though it is widely condemned for adopting double standards in this regard.

However, what is interesting is the US now seems to be focusing more on trade rather than preaching democracy or trying to sell its values. There are signs that it even deliberately avoided some sensitive issues in bilateral meetings with African countries during the summit in Washington.

In addition, according to media reports, USAID's Democracy and Governance portfolio is facing a 50 percent cut to its budget in 2015, with more cutbacks being threatened. The cut in funds for a major US program intended to promote US values in Africa and new funding for US projects in Africa show what Washington really cares about this time is economic issues.

If Washington really wants healthy economic and trade cooperation with Africa, it should not attach any conditions, especially political ones, to its initiatives for Africa. This is the premise for Beijing to strengthen its cooperation with the US in Africa too.

The author is an associate professor and deputy director of the Center for the Asia-Pacific and International Strategy with Dalian University of Technology.