Africa benefits in big way from Chinese policy: commentary

Africa has benefited in a big way from Chinese policy and reputation for going where other's won't, a local newspaper commented on Thursday.

The official The Herald carried a commentary, titled as " Translate Zim-China deals into reality," saying that China has turned to Africa and developed a new type of strategic partnership with the continent, featuring economic win-win cooperation, political equality, mutual trust and cultural exchange.

In fact, for over half a century, China and Africa have all along sympathized with and supported each other in the struggle for national liberation, enjoyed close political ties and exchanged frequent high-level visits, the commentary said.

"Africa has benefited in a big way from Chinese policy and reputation for going where other's won't because of political concerns, or because profit margins are too slim," it said.

Across Africa, Chinese companies have outbid other foreign firms on construction projects, winning contracts to pave highways, build hydroelectric dams, upgrade ports, lay railways and build pipelines, the newspaper said.

In fact, the Chinese influx does have benefits to African countries. Commodities used in manufacturing, such as oil, copper and platinum, are surging because of demand from China and other Asian nations like India, it said.

Zimbabwe is one of the African countries that benefited immensely from Chinese assistance in infrastructural development and trade in general, it added.

"It is our utmost hope that the deals signed between the two countries will be translated into reality," the commentary said.

"With our vast expanse of land and rich natural resources we want the Chinese with their technology to be partners in economic development and help create jobs and build factories here," it said.

"We do not want the Chinese business interests to follow a pattern long established in Africa where the Western countries treated the continent mainly as a source of raw materials and a market for finished goods."

Source: Xinhua