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March 30, 2005
"Look East," stay stable
What's one of the surest signs that China is aspiring for greater status and power? Meddling in African politics, of course:
China is increasingly making its presence felt on the continent - from building roads in Kenya and Rwanda to increasing trade with Uganda and South Africa. But critics say its involvement in politics could help prop up questionable regimes, like Mr. Mugabe's increasingly autocratic 25-year reign.
"Suffering under the effects of international isolation, Zimbabwe has looked to new partners, including China, who won't attach conditions, such as economic and political reform" to their support, says a Western diplomat here. Of China's influence on this week's elections, he adds, "I find it hard to believe the Chinese would push hard for free and fair elections - it's not the standard they're known for."
[...]
Here in Zimbabwe, China also may be helping to support one of Africa's more oppressive regimes. The radio-jamming equipment that has prevented the independent Short Wave Radio Africa from broadcasting into the country is Chinese, according to the US-funded International Broadcast Bureau. [emphasis mine]
In Africa, it seems, China is taking a page right out of the U.S. Cold War playbook. I doubt China cares as much about Mugabe, Kibaki, or Kagame as it does about oil, gas, and platinum. Stability (translation: reliable access to resources) is China's guiding light in Africa. Sometimes this will be to the benefit of Africans, especially when the Chinese interpretation of stability includes development assistance, intrastructural improvements, or increased trade. Promoting stability in Africa, of course, will also frequently place China on the unsavory side of events. But controversy is nothing new to China, and I'm sure it's much more concerned with the domestic variety than the African.
