Tuesday, November 29, 2011

China Is Buying Up Africa While The West "Yawns"

China Builds Its African Empire While The 'Anti-Colonialist' Left Looks The Other Way -- Damian Thompson, The Telegraph

Imagine what would happen if America barged its way into a developing country, buttered up its homicidal dictator and agreed a back-of-the-envelope deal in which he signed over his nation’s mineral wealth in return for roads, railways and sports stadiums. Everyone would benefit, no?

No. The problem is that the infrastructure turns out to be worth a hell of a lot less than the minerals. Fortunately, Washington has had the foresight to top up the dictator’s Swiss bank account. Problem solved! As for the mining operation, the Americans really don’t want to be bothered by minimum wages or trade unions. They’re banned. And no complaints from the workforce, please, because no one wants a repeat of that “misunderstanding” in which an American mine supervisor opened fire on stroppy employees.

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My Comment: A decade or two from now many in Africa will be wondering what has happened to the wealth and richness of their continent .... and will probably be blaming the West for it. The sad truth is the contrary .... and will be more so as China's hunger for natural resources and Africa's dependency on Chinese money continues to grow.

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