By Dr. Salam Al Rabadi
The expansion of Chinese
transnational corporations influence globally does not deviate from the context
of the strategic plans adopted by the Chinese state to secure its vital
economic and political sphere. It is clear that the investment strategies of
Chinese companies are based on making China a global economic, political and
military power.
Therefore, it
can be said that these investment policies inevitably reflect China’s vision of
how to achieve long-term political and economic goals. On this basis, it seems
that the influence of Chinese investments on the African continent represents a
geostrategic change that will upset many global economic and political balances
at all levels and in all areas.
The
trade volume between China and Africa currently amounts to approximately 167$
billion (in the first half of 2024),
with Chinese exports estimated at 97$
billion, compared to African exports worth 69$
billion. At present, there are more than 10,000
Chinese companies operating across the continent and are active in all sectors
(technology, infrastructure, mining, agriculture, rare metals, green energy,
etc.) and the number of Chinese citizens in Africa is estimated at about two
million people, and they are the largest foreign community inhabiting the
continent.
Consequently, as a result of the growing
influence of Chinese investments, it has become clear that there is a
Sino-Western competition within Africa, as there are serious geopolitical
questions and concerns in the West about the repercussions of these huge
investments, which fall within China’s political vision of the state. We
can infer this competition by following the West’s attempt to work to counter
China’s initiative, called the “Belt and Road” or New Silk
Road, especially in its African aspect.
Therefore,
from the monitoring of this strategic conflict related to these investments,
which is based on the principle of transcending traditional political and
economic confrontations, it is no longer possible to ignore many of the problematic revolving around the West's attempt to involve issues
related to sustainable development in this conflict, especially at the level of
issues related to governance, transparency and the fight against corruption,
environmental standards, human rights, etc.
This is through the West directing many
accusations and harsh criticisms at Chinese investments for not adhering to and
complying with sustainable development standards in Africa. Here the following
logical questions can be asked:
•
What are the
dimensions and repercussions of Western accusations against China that its
investments in Africa violate sustainable development and human rights
standards?
•
Are there now
purely political trends in dealing with Chinese investments instead of trends
based on how to help promote sustainable development policies in all their
dimensions on the African continent?
Assuming that these investments
do not fall outside the realm of competition between China and the West,
we must draw attention to the problematic of the
political dimension in Western criticism of Chinese investments in terms of
their neglect of sustainable development standards on the African continent,
especially in failed states.
This problematic becomes
clearly visible when tracing the emphasis on the adoption of strict
environmental standards and commitment to sustainable governance that Western
countries are trying to impose on many countries that have investment
relationships with China. This is with the aim of trying to limit China's
economic and investment capacity and power.
For example, sustainable development
policies that focus on reducing emissions and transitioning to clean energy are
being leveraged to limit the expansion of heavy industries in China and
developing countries that rely on them for rapid economic growth. While
developed countries continue to monopolize advanced clean energy technologies,
enhancing their economic and technological control.
In sum, it seems clear that there is
a political and economic exploitation of the concepts of sustainable
development as a tool by which to curb the expansion of Chinese influence on
the African continent. Unfortunately, developed countries have often
used it as a means of pressure to promote their interests and undermine the
rapid growth of developing and emerging countries, thereby contributing to
slowing the pace of their economic and political rise.
How
does the West exploit all the concepts of sustainable development at the
economic and political level to confront the influence of Chinese global
investment, specifically on the African continent?
