Strategy Prospects Chinese Investment in Africa and the West: Political Dilemma and Geostrategic Changes

 

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.

      Chinese investments have expanded their scope of work across the continent, and the volume of trade between China and Africa is increasing at a very high rate. Where during the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing in September 2024, China pledged to implement about 30 infrastructure projects across the continent and provide financing and support worth about 51$ billion over the 3 years(2025-2028).

     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.

 In light of the above, we should not ignore the strategies of some countries based on using the concepts of governance and transparency to achieve political objectives. This opens the door wide and seriously to raise a dialectic:

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?

Victims and Transitional Justice. Participation. Mobilization. Resistance

Human Rights Centre at Ghent University, Justice Visions,Belgium.

Mujeres Entre la Filosofía Y el Pensamiento Masculino

 

Salam Al Rabadi

       Muchos de los logros que se han alcanzado a nivel de igualdad entre hombres y mujeres son vulnerables a retrocesos, ya que existen muchos desequilibrios que exacerban aún más el sufrimiento de las mujeres por el mero hecho de ser mujeres. Las mujeres de todo el mundo siguen enfrentándose a leyes y reglamentos que restringen e impiden sus oportunidades económicas, sociales y políticas.

 

       Según informes globales, parece que hay muchos nuevos desafíos que enfrentan las mujeres en términos de su salud, seguridad y seguridad económica, ya que las mujeres solo disfrutan de las tres cuartas partes de los derechos legales otorgados a los hombres⁽[1]⁾. Ciertamente, al intentar evaluar este dilema y aproximarse a la realidad de los derechos de las mujeres, se debe plantear la siguiente problemática:

 

¿Existe algún defecto filosófico que impida a las mujeres trascender este sistema masculino?

 

         Parece que la verdadera opresión masculina es lo que las sociedades y los campos filosóficos sufren de la visión de inferioridad de las mujeres. En consecuencia, si existe un deseo serio de alcanzar una verdadera igualdad entre mujeres y hombres, esto requiere una reconsideración de todo lo relacionado con la cultura de las sociedades, incluida la cultura de las propias mujeres^([2]), sin olvidar enfrentar algunos desafíos a nivel cultural, que requiere la búsqueda de una nueva aproximación en relación con el pensamiento filosófico y cultural de acuerdo con un punto de vista crítico, donde parece que la mujer ha sido colocada en el seno de un vórtice filosófico cerrado que mantiene las formas tradicionales de la femineidad^([3]).

               En este contexto, es lógico decir que no se puede alcanzar la igualdad de género social sin la existencia de un trasfondo filosófico que trabaje para iluminar las mentes y liberarlas de las restricciones masculinas. Pero, ¿cómo se puede lograr esta liberación e iluminación si los propios valores filosóficos sufren de un problema prominente de género y machista, que está vinculado (desafortunadamente) con la inferioridad de las mujeres en el mundo de la filosofía?

 

       Por ejemplo, los filósofos griegos más famosos (Aristóteles, Platón, Sócrates) tenían una visión de las mujeres, en general, que no iba más allá del hecho de que sólo eran aptas para la procreación, que no contaban con virtudes morales como los hombres, que no podían ejercer virtudes morales como los hombres. Las mujeres eran consideradas inferiores a los hombres en términos de razón y virtud.

         Y esta visión de las mujeres en el mundo de la filosofía antigua no difirió mucho con una serie de grandes filósofos modernos (Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Nietzsche). Según su visión, las mujeres no fueron creadas ni para la ciencia ni para la sabiduría, sino sólo para satisfacer los instintos de los hombres. También creían que la mente de una mujer no estaba a la altura de la mente de un hombre y no estaba hecha para pensar. Además, creían que las mujeres eran la fuente de todo mal y que conspiraban con todas las formas de decadencia contra los hombres^([4]).

        En conclusión, parece claro que la continua tiranía de la filosofía masculina es un síntoma natural de la dominación de la cultura masculina sobre la humanidad en general, que continúa hasta el día de hoy, a pesar de las afirmaciones de igualdad. En consecuencia, si hay alguien que cree que estas consideraciones filosóficas, impregnadas de masculinidad y relacionadas con los derechos de las mujeres, se han quedado obsoletas por el tiempo a la luz de la propagación de la ideología feminista y el desarrollo de ideas relacionadas con la sexualidad (género) etcétera.

       Pero aquí, el problema existente debe plantearse en torno a la cuestión de si la visión masculina de las mujeres realmente ha cambiado a nivel filosófico contemporáneo y si hay una necesidad urgente de pasar al sistema filosófico integral de la Ilustración.

        Ciertamente, al tratar de responder a estas preguntas y evaluar este problema híbrido (si se supera el enfoque estadístico y cuantitativo, que hace hincapié en la oscuridad de la escena) para crear un cambio radical a nivel de los pilares vitales que garantizan los derechos de las mujeres, debemos preguntarnos sobre las razones y los antecedentes que han impedido a las mujeres crear una escuela filosófica integrada, o establecer una corriente intelectual que pueda influir en el campo filosófico.

       

           Esta imposibilidad o incapacidad, inevitablemente nos llevará a plantear el dilema fundamental que se encuentra en la siguiente pregunta: 

 

                 ¿Existen mujeres filosofas^([5])?

        Aquí, juiciosa y definitivamente, chocaremos con la crueldad y el peso de la dialéctica relacionada con la importancia, el estatus y el papel de la mujer en el pensamiento y la filosofía.

---

[1] Sin mencionar el aumento de la violencia contra las mujeres, además de la debilidad económica y la falta de independencia financiera (hasta cierto punto), incluidas las barreras a la preservación del empleo, las mujeres también se enfrentan a un aumento de los desafíos de violencia doméstica y salud y seguridad… etcétera. Ver informe: “Women, Business And The Law In 2021″, The World Bank, Washington, Ver: https://openknowledge. worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/35094/ 97814648 16529.pdf

[2]   Es extraño y reprobable que algunas mujeres acepten estas apariencias, con el pretexto de que están acostumbradas a estas prácticas. También es desafortunado que muchos de ellos no sepan nada sobre su mera explotación. Aquí pueden surgir muchos signos de interrogación acerca de si las mujeres tienen derecho (sobre la base de principios de derechos humanos) a aceptar la violación de su humanidad?

[3] En consecuencia, debemos tener cuidado y reflexionar sobre cómo utilizar términos como feminidad, identidad, honor, masculinidad… etcétera. 

[4] Vale la pena mencionar aquí la importancia de no generalizar la visión masculina de las mujeres en el campo filosófico. Por ejemplo, el filósofo árabe Averroes (Ibn Rushd:1126-1198) nos presentó una visión humana que no es menos importante que todas las propuestas contemporáneas relacionadas con los derechos de igualdad de género. Donde afirma que no hay diferencia entre una mujer y un hombre (excepto por la diferencia física), son un tipo donde la mujer y el hombre son de un tipo. Además, considera que no hay obstáculo para que una mujer llegue a la sentencia.  

[5] Sistemáticamente si la influencia de la opinión pública irracional se pasa por alto, si las emociones se dejan de lado y si el escrutinio científico de la historia filosófica (antigua y contemporánea) se lleva a cabo de acuerdo con características y condiciones específicas, entonces no encontraremos ninguna filosofía de mujeres.

Iranian Strategic Patience: Israel and the Soft Wars

 

Dr. Salam Al Rabadi

Unfortunately, by tracking the pattern of strategies of many countries based on exaggerated interest in human rights, women's and democracy issues in Iran (such as the case of the death of the Iranian girl Mahsa Amini), it is no longer possible to ignore the extent of the political, security and cultural exploitation that is taking place. This pattern was adopted previously in Syria, which led to its entry into the quagmire of war since 2011. Therefore, based on the presence of Iran in the same political direction, the same pattern was followed, as the issue is linked primarily to confronting Iran's rising power.

In principle, there is a strategy that has become clear and known,  it is based on cultural backgrounds whose main goal is to fragment societies from within (soft wars). As many countries (Israel in particular) cannot accept at all the reality of Iran's presence as a major regional power. Where, despite all the sanctions policies pursued to isolate and marginalize Iran during the past 45 years, Iran was able to build its own strength and consolidate its regional influence.

Consequently, those countries that are hostile to Iran have no choice but to move towards exploiting some controversial issues within Iranian society related to human rights, women and democracy, in order to destabilize and weaken it. Accordingly, these countries moved towards the option of soft war through:

• Cultural penetration within Iranian society to tear apart its political structure.
•  Supporting terrorist movements, including trying to reproduce a new ISIS.

In this context, there is a lot of evidence confirming these external interventions aimed at plunging Iran into internal conflicts and wars, including but not limited to:

1. Seizing arms shipments coming from abroad, which coincided with the internal riots.
2. Dismantling terrorist cells that were planning to assassinate figures of Arab origin and carry out terrorist operations in religious places in order to ignite a civil war.
3. Arresting terrorist groups linked to foreign intelligence working to smuggle weapons.

Based on these facts, it seems that the main goal is to destroy the societal structure, exaggerate political polarization, and undermine security stability. So that Iran becomes more fragile and subject to division. Practically, the Iranian Republic is facing a hybrid war, whose political goal is based on confronting Iranian influence, where this influence is  based on:

-          Sticking to the nuclear program.

-          Supporting the resistance movements in their confrontation with the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

-          Being present in Syria and assisting the Syrian army in its war against terrorist movements.

-          Supporting the Houthis in Yemen permanently.

-          Consolidate influence in Iraq at all levels.

-          Strategic rapprochement with both Russia and China.

Here, it must be recognized that the internal Iranian tensions are a winning card that the United States and Israel have tried to exploit to incite the Iranian people against the regime and clash with it. This new situation or challenge required the Iranian government to adopt a different vision on how to deal with such developments. Where the Iranian government and its security institutions followed a policy of restraint and not taking any provocative step that might lead to a clash. On the contrary, work has been done to:

1-       Absorbing the anger of the people and allowing demonstrations.

2-       Closely monitoring the security situation and controlling terrorist cells.

3-       Revealing to Iranian society the dirty policies of mobilization and media incitement.

4-       Evidence that many opposition movements are linked to the agenda of foreign countries.

5-       Linking the internal events with the pattern based on the implementation of the Syrian model in Iran.

In this context, and regardless of the extent of the Iranian government's ability to confront these soft wars, there are very serious political, cultural and internal security challenges that can no longer be ignored, and they require a reconsideration of many policies that were thought to have become axiomatic, including:

-          It is no longer possible to pursue a policy that is based on holding Iranian governments accountable and neutralizing the Supreme Leader of the Revolution or the institution of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist(Guardianship of the Faqih), from any responsibility.

-          The existence of radical changes linked to security threats, which are no longer confined to the Israeli threat, but have extended to include terrorist movements.

-          Increasing the complexities associated with foreign plans that seek to undermine the foundations of the Iranian state.

-          Internal crises appear to be the most dangerous, and may lead to making strategic concessions at the level of the nuclear file, the Palestinian cause, and the relationship with Syria and the resistance movements.

In sum, the exaggerated interest in human rights issues comes in the context of the pressures that Iran has been exposed to for decades, to achieve geopolitical goals. However, according to how Iran faced the previous challenges, it seems that it is able to overcome the current difficulties, as the pillars of the state are still solid at all levels.

Furthermore, Iran's ability to reassess its foreign relations should not be underestimated, based on the equation that Iran's security is linked to the security of the region. Iran has many options that enhance this equation. There are multidimensional entitlements linked to the Iranian reality, whether in terms of the nuclear program or an increase in the intensity of the collision with Israel or energy security. For example, it is no longer possible to always rely on Iran's continued restraint in Yemen, the resulting regional and global strategic repercussions, at least on the level of global energy security balances.

Not to mention that if Iran's strategic patience runs out, it is not at all unlikely that Iran will directly target Israeli interests. Perhaps at some point the confrontation may be direct within occupied Palestine itself. As Iran is fully aware that all attempts to destabilize it cannot be separated at all from the reactions of Israel, which faces an existential danger after losing all its wars with the axis of resistance that is fully and unlimitedly supported by the Iranian Republic.

IV Sesión Sensibilización y prevención: VIOLENCIA SEXUAL EN LA JUVENTUD

 

IV Sesión Sensibilización y prevención: VIOLENCIA SEXUAL EN LA JUVENTUD. 

La Secretaría General para la Igualdad de la Xunta de Galicia y las Oficinas de Igualdad de Género de las tres universidades gallegas.

, de14 noviembre en la USC Santiago de Compostela

Seminário “A Mulher e as Migrações - vozes de mudança para uma migração inclusiva”,

 

Seminário “A Mulher e as Migrações - vozes de mudança para uma migração inclusiva”, Olhares Transnacionais Sobre Medidas E Recomendações de Inclusão e Integração: Ignorando Questões Culturais, Políticas e de Segurança Relacionadas às Mulheres Imigrantes. Insttuto Politécnico de Bragança(IPB) \ Portugal \ 6 de junho de 2022.

 

 

Women Between Philosophy And Masculine Thought

 

Dr. Salam Al Rabadi

 

    Many of the achievements that have been made on the level of equality between men and women are vulnerable to setbacks, as there are many existing imbalances, which further exacerbate the suffering of women just because they are female. Women all over the world continue to face laws and regulations that restrict and impede their economic, social and political opportunities. According to global reports, it appears that there are many new challenges facing women in terms of their health, safety and economic security, as women only enjoy three quarters of the legal rights granted to men^[1].

 

Certainly, when trying to assess this dilemma and approach the reality of women’s rights, the following problematic must be asked:

 

Is there a philosophical defect that prevents women from transcending this male system?

   It seems that the real male oppression is what societies and philosophical fields suffer from inferiority view of women. Consequently, if there is a serious desire to reach true equality between women and men, this requires reconsideration of everything related to the culture of societies, including the culture of women themselves^[2]. Not to mention facing some challenges at the level of enlightenment, which require the search for a new approach to everything related to philosophical and cultural thought according to an explicit critical point of view. Where it appears that the woman has been placed in the womb of a closed philosophical vortex, which maintains the traditional forms of femininity^[3].

 

   In this context, it is logical to say that societal gender equality cannot be reached without the existence of a philosophical background that works to enlighten minds and liberate them from male restrictions. But how can this liberation and enlightenment be achieved if the philosophical values themselves suffer from a prominent gender and chauvinist problem, which is linked (unfortunately) with the inferiority of women in the world of philosophy?

 

   For example, the most famous Greek philosophers (Aristotle, Plato, Socrates) had a vision of women in general that did not go beyond the fact that they were only suitable for procreation, and that they could not exercise moral virtues like men, also that they could not exercise moral virtues like men, not to mention that women were considered inferior to men in terms of reason and virtue.

 

    And this vision of women in the world of ancient philosophy did not differ much with a number of great modern philosophers (Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, Nietzsche). According to their vision, women were not created either for science or for wisdom, but rather only to satisfy the instincts of men. They also believed that a woman's mind was not up to the level of a men's mind, and it was not made for thinking. In addition, they believed that women were the source of all evil, and that they conspired with all forms of decadence against men^[4].

 

    In conclusion, it seems clear that the continued tyranny of male philosophy is a natural symptom of the domination of the male culture over humanity in general, which continues to this day, despite claims of equality. Consequently, if there is someone who believes that these philosophical considerations, steeped in masculinity and related to women's rights, have become outdated by time in light of the spread of feminist ideology and the development of ideas related to sexuality (gender)..etc.

    

   But here, the existing problematic must be raised around the question of whether the male view of women has actually changed at the contemporary philosophical level, and whether there is an urgent need to move to the comprehensive Enlightenment philosophical system?

 

    Certainly when trying to answer these questions and evaluate this hybrid problematic (in case the statistical and quantitative approach, which emphasizes the darkness of the scene, is exceeded) in order to create a radical change at the level of the vital pillars guaranteeing women's rights, we must be searched about the reasons and backgrounds that have prevented women from creating an integrated philosophical school, or establishing an intellectual current that can influence the philosophical field.

    Out of this impossibility or inability, this will inevitably lead us to pose the fundamental dilemma which lies in the following question:

 

Are there women philosophers^[5]?

 

Here, logically and definitely, we will clash with the cruelty and weight of the dialectic related to the importance, status and role of women in thinking and philosophizing.

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[1] Not to mention the increase in violence against women, in addition to economic weakness and lack of financial independence (to some extent), including barriers to job preservation, women also face an increase in domestic violence and health and safety challenges..etc. See Report: “Women, Business And The Law In 2021",The World Bank,Washington,Look:https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/35094/ 97814648 16529.pdf

[2] It is strange and reprehensible that some women accept these appearances, on the pretext that they are accustomed to these practices. It is also unfortunate that many of them do not know anything about their mere exploitation. Here, many question marks may arise about whether women are entitled (based on human rights principles) to accept the violation of their humanity?

[3] Consequently, we must be careful and reflect on how to use terms such as femininity, identity, honor, masculinity.. etc. 

[4] It is worth mentioning here the importance of not generalizing the masculine view of women in the philosophical field. For example, the Arab philosopher Averroes(Ibn Rushd:1126-1198) presented us with a human vision that is no less important than all contemporary propositions related to gender equality rights. Where he affirms that there is no difference between a woman and a man(except for the physical difference), they are one type where the woman and the man are one type. As well as, he considers that there is no obstacle to a woman from reaching the ruling.  

[5] Systematically if the influence of the irrational public opinion is overlooked, if emotions are put aside and if the scientific scrutiny of philosophical history (ancient and contemporary) is carried out according to specific characteristics and conditions, then we will not find any women philosopher.