The first in a series of China-Africa relations conferences put
together by Yale University through its Macmillan Center for
International and Area studies took place at the Lagos Business
School recently. It was themed “Africa-China Relations: Balance,
Growth and a Sustainable Future.” During the conference,
Ambassador Zhong Jianhua, China’s Special Representative on
African Affairs, spoke to CHIMA NWOKOJI on a number of
issues bothering on economic cooperation between China and
Nigeria, as well as Africa in general.
Many people want to know why China is so interested in such
massive aid programmes in Africa.
China’s interest is economic cooperation. By this cooperation, if
the people improve their living standard on the African
continent, their demand will increase. This demand will provide
opportunity not only for China but also for the world. We did this
to the world before. We provided a huge opportunity. We
provided the world with the huge Chinese market. This is what
we want to replicate in this continent. So, with this economic
cooperation between China and Africa, we see the future
demand of this continent increasing tremendously. We engage
in this process by helping Africa to develop even faster and
become greater. When this is achieved, they also reward us with
greater opportunity and provide demand for our own products.
That is what we call win-win.
Looking at this $60 billion, what are the biggest challenges
Chinese government is having in achieving its set targets in
Nigeria?
I think the cooperation and bilateral relation is a good one. On
the political front it is good. On the economic front, in terms of
trade, the cooperation we get from Nigeria is also good. But the
challenge is obvious. We set a pretty high target. For example,
the Chinese government sets aside $60 billion to be invested in
Africa either through loans or investments into projects in three
years time. At the official level it is a huge challenge. Everyone
is talking about win-win cooperation. But what about the lose-
win, win-lose or lose-lose? No one can guarantee results. That’s
where the challenge lies. You can have a target, a purpose, but
how to fulfill it is the task. It involves wisdom, determination and
the spirit of courage from every one of us. A Chinese philosophy
says, “If you think you can win and let the other party lose, you
will lose eventually.”
Of course if you lose and let the opponent win, that is also not
the solution. If you run to win, you must let your partner also
win. This is the only way you can help maintain long-term
friendship and long-term relationship. We believe in long-term
cooperation. This is Chinese philosophy.
How do you respond to the allegation that China’s interest in
Africa will lead to re-colonisation of Africans?
First, we know that the history of human beings have been
characterised by development and progress. Our ancestors may
be stupid; I mean ancestors to all of us as human beings not
only China. We did have colonial period in history. It was ugly,
bloody and notorious. I think every human being should learn
from that history. Colonialism will never lead us to the bright
future that we desire. It may have benefited other continents but
it caused a lot of damage to this continent. It caused huge
sacrifice on the other side too. The Chinese are not stupid. The
best benefit for China, certainly, is not to colonize Africa.
And after its hundreds of years of bloody history, this continent
will never allow anybody to colonize it again. On both sides, we
do not have that kind of opportunity to do that, even if both are
stupid.
Now, where is the best result for China? I still return to the
earlier topic. The best result for China is let the African continent
become truly developed. And this development will actually
bring the whole world biggest opportunity, just like China offered
to the world. We do not believe that the reforms that took place
in China was as a result of colonialism. We offered to the world,
the best opportunity. Most developed countries benefited hugely
from Chinese investment. We want to have the story repeated in
the African continent. Let people enjoy from the development.
This has already been proved a success story. We have no
reason to go back to the old history of colonisation and
colonialism. That was stupid.
One thing you should never forget is that we, the Chinese
people, actually broke some people’s monopolised market. You
do remember when those who bought oil monopolised the
market and decided what the price of oil would be. They paid six
pence per barrel. But when the Chinese came into this market,
we certainly broke up this monopolized system. We made the
producing countries enjoy one hundred US dollar per barrel. The
difference is that those who enjoyed six pence in history became
angry. They were angry because the Chinese have put a stop to
what they enjoyed before.
Look at it on the other side. When you sold the oil for six pence
per barrel, how much did you pay for imported suit? You pay
five hundred dollars because the only supply is from Europe.
How many barrels of oil did you have to export before you
bought a suit in the past? Today, when you buy a Chinese-made
suit, how much do you pay? Less than three dollars, the
cheapest. Why do you complain about colonisation from China?
It is because some people have been made very angry in the
market place. I think we are doing something good for the
people who sell oil.
The plunging oil price is affecting many economies, but China
seems to be managing the situation well. What lesson can
Nigeria learn from China in overcoming the challenges of
inflation, fallen revenue, insecurity and more?
We have suffered the same problems Nigeria is suffering today.
So we approach the problems based on our experience. When I
was still a junior staff in the foreign ministry, inflation in China
rose to about 80 per cent. You know what that means. People
worked harder. Workers were organised to work for 24 hours a
day. When you have the crisis, it also means you have
opportunities there in. It is a time you are pushed to make
positive changes. More so, when you have challenges and there
are friends willing to help, you just know that such challenges
can be overcome.
together by Yale University through its Macmillan Center for
International and Area studies took place at the Lagos Business
School recently. It was themed “Africa-China Relations: Balance,
Growth and a Sustainable Future.” During the conference,
Ambassador Zhong Jianhua, China’s Special Representative on
African Affairs, spoke to CHIMA NWOKOJI on a number of
issues bothering on economic cooperation between China and
Many people want to know why China is so interested in such
massive aid programmes in Africa.
China’s interest is economic cooperation. By this cooperation, if
the people improve their living standard on the African
continent, their demand will increase. This demand will provide
opportunity not only for China but also for the world. We did this
to the world before. We provided a huge opportunity. We
provided the world with the huge Chinese market. This is what
we want to replicate in this continent. So, with this economic
cooperation between China and Africa, we see the future
demand of this continent increasing tremendously. We engage
in this process by helping Africa to develop even faster and
become greater. When this is achieved, they also reward us with
greater opportunity and provide demand for our own products.
That is what we call win-win.
Looking at this $60 billion, what are the biggest challenges
Chinese government is having in achieving its set targets in
Nigeria?
I think the cooperation and bilateral relation is a good one. On
the political front it is good. On the economic front, in terms of
trade, the cooperation we get from Nigeria is also good. But the
challenge is obvious. We set a pretty high target. For example,
the Chinese government sets aside $60 billion to be invested in
Africa either through loans or investments into projects in three
years time. At the official level it is a huge challenge. Everyone
is talking about win-win cooperation. But what about the lose-
win, win-lose or lose-lose? No one can guarantee results. That’s
where the challenge lies. You can have a target, a purpose, but
how to fulfill it is the task. It involves wisdom, determination and
the spirit of courage from every one of us. A Chinese philosophy
says, “If you think you can win and let the other party lose, you
will lose eventually.”
Of course if you lose and let the opponent win, that is also not
the solution. If you run to win, you must let your partner also
win. This is the only way you can help maintain long-term
friendship and long-term relationship. We believe in long-term
cooperation. This is Chinese philosophy.
How do you respond to the allegation that China’s interest in
Africa will lead to re-colonisation of Africans?
First, we know that the history of human beings have been
characterised by development and progress. Our ancestors may
be stupid; I mean ancestors to all of us as human beings not
only China. We did have colonial period in history. It was ugly,
bloody and notorious. I think every human being should learn
from that history. Colonialism will never lead us to the bright
future that we desire. It may have benefited other continents but
it caused a lot of damage to this continent. It caused huge
sacrifice on the other side too. The Chinese are not stupid. The
best benefit for China, certainly, is not to colonize Africa.
And after its hundreds of years of bloody history, this continent
will never allow anybody to colonize it again. On both sides, we
do not have that kind of opportunity to do that, even if both are
stupid.
Now, where is the best result for China? I still return to the
earlier topic. The best result for China is let the African continent
become truly developed. And this development will actually
bring the whole world biggest opportunity, just like China offered
to the world. We do not believe that the reforms that took place
in China was as a result of colonialism. We offered to the world,
the best opportunity. Most developed countries benefited hugely
from Chinese investment. We want to have the story repeated in
the African continent. Let people enjoy from the development.
This has already been proved a success story. We have no
reason to go back to the old history of colonisation and
colonialism. That was stupid.
One thing you should never forget is that we, the Chinese
people, actually broke some people’s monopolised market. You
do remember when those who bought oil monopolised the
market and decided what the price of oil would be. They paid six
pence per barrel. But when the Chinese came into this market,
we certainly broke up this monopolized system. We made the
producing countries enjoy one hundred US dollar per barrel. The
difference is that those who enjoyed six pence in history became
angry. They were angry because the Chinese have put a stop to
what they enjoyed before.
Look at it on the other side. When you sold the oil for six pence
per barrel, how much did you pay for imported suit? You pay
five hundred dollars because the only supply is from Europe.
How many barrels of oil did you have to export before you
bought a suit in the past? Today, when you buy a Chinese-made
suit, how much do you pay? Less than three dollars, the
cheapest. Why do you complain about colonisation from China?
It is because some people have been made very angry in the
market place. I think we are doing something good for the
people who sell oil.
The plunging oil price is affecting many economies, but China
seems to be managing the situation well. What lesson can
Nigeria learn from China in overcoming the challenges of
inflation, fallen revenue, insecurity and more?
We have suffered the same problems Nigeria is suffering today.
So we approach the problems based on our experience. When I
was still a junior staff in the foreign ministry, inflation in China
rose to about 80 per cent. You know what that means. People
worked harder. Workers were organised to work for 24 hours a
day. When you have the crisis, it also means you have
opportunities there in. It is a time you are pushed to make
positive changes. More so, when you have challenges and there
are friends willing to help, you just know that such challenges
can be overcome.
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