Democracy Now! - 7/10/09 - China Safari: On The Trail of Beijing's Expansion in Africa (part 1 of 2)

[DIJV79]

The Chinese are building a interstate system between African nations which is critical to get goods to market, everything else is irrelevant.

[supergopi]

What Africa needs is "Economic freedom" & "infrastructure & biz" ...

Chinese are doing a great job in bringing in 'infrastructure & biz'...

if 'govt control' is what democracy means to African diplomats... I think they are screwed...

[Elbottoo]

Only China is bringing in investments and development that Africans actually needs like roads, hospitals, schools, infrastructures, telephone lines, mining, heavy equipment, bridges etc.

The West were not interested in high risk Africa (Africa was considered high risk because of civil wars, shadowy regimes, uneducated population, colonialistic history, low infrastructure, no economic activity etc).

Chinese came in and just did their thing without requirements. Now the West cries again. Gro up.

[7jerryv7]

Very good point about the relationship between democracy and development. They almost always go hand-in-hand. China can brng development but not democracy. Hopefully African nations can control the influence China will have on the democratic systems.