Many of you may not remember this, but at the height of US expansionism and communist containment 90 percent of US foreign aid went to US citizens and companies operating overseas.This included to friends, satellite states and some enemies of interest.
In the mean time the rest of the First World were watching and learning fast and eventually began doing similar aid programs because foreign aid was a clever way of helping oneself off-shore. And also, aid followed bombing and or occupation in geo-politically strategic areas. But the US had the money. Now fast forward to 2011.
Today, China has the money. And they are spending it in a program of “soft” expansionism worldwide. “Soft” because they are not firing a single shot or missile – so they are saving billions. And, “soft” for the reason that they are not meddling in their beneficiaries internal (political) affairs. So how do they benefit? What’s in it for the Red Dragon?
China has more than one billion citizens and trillions of Renminbi (RMB) in reserves. Put those two together and you have the perfect platform for economic expansionism. When nations receive assistance from China, they receive money, lots of money and Chinese (workers) companies too; not much different from what the US and others do. They know that their people equipped with cash will find and repatriate the natural and other resources needed to keep the Chinese Dream alive. What then, do the host countries get?
Host/recipient countries get the buildings, roads (as in the Caribbean states), railways (like the US), and mines (as in the cases of Africa and Australia) they ask for. They also get the scholarships, technology transfer in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, information and communication and surveillance. Of course, they also get the best of Chinese culture including their television programs and gastronomic delights (good cooking). Well you know what they say about the link between a man’s heart and his stomach. This brings us back to the Chinese policy of mutual respect and non-interference in friendly countries’ internal politics – Soft Power.
In a number of African countries governments have become increasingly unpopular because the Chinese mega projects are the only game in town, but the locals are not getting the jobs; they can’t afford to buy the Chicken Pineapple or the Peking Duck. They cry foul and they call for regime change. Because the situation has bordered on “interfering in the local politics” Beijing has had to respond. We should note that on a separate issue of Human Rights Chinese President, Hu Jintao has said China was a newcomer to the world stage and was learning from its mistakes. This would apply to trade as well.
Back in Africa, governments appear to be listening to the cry of their people. They are already driving harder and better-informed bargains. Angola eventually asked Chinese companies to subcontract 30 percent of the work to local firms insisting that the Chinese solicit at least three bids for every project they planned to undertake. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) negotiated a $3 billion copper-backed loan from the Chinese government to help finance railways, roads, hospitals, and universities. The Congolese government wants 10 to 12 percent of all the infrastructure work undertaken under this arrangement to be subcontracted to Congolese firms, they want no more than 20 percent of the construction workers involved to be Chinese, and they also want at least one-half of one percent of the costs of each infrastructure project be spent on worker training. And Beijing is giving in.
Beijing is hearing what is going on in the Caribbean where they have invested billions. They are also hearing what is going on in Roseau in particular. So it should not be too long before the number of locals working on the State House project increase form 11 to a number which will have a positive impact on the internal politics playing out in the local media. This will make it much easier for our leaders at the next round of aid negotiations. Negotiate we must.
Remember, we need the Chinese for the next phase of our development. We need their capital; to restore the Trafalgar Falls to pre-1985 conditions; to tunnel through Morne Daniel and Morne Bruce to improve traffic conditions in the capital; to reconstruct the Mattieu Dam for commercial fishing, water sports and hydro-electricity. And the list goes on. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, former president of Brazil said it best; “There can be no capitalism without capital.” And Chinese capital is very appetizing at the moment.
Raymond Henderson is a Dominican studying in Belgrade, Serbia.
Opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online.
Well written article but a few misconceptions thiygh….
It is not true to say that the Chinese are not meddling in the beneficiaries internal political affairs;
maybe they are doing so in a more suttle and underhand way, but they are; BIG- TIME.
you ask. what’s in it for the Red Dragon:
a. a country’s natural resources
b. land, property for their people
c. employment for Chinese
d. control of our Governments
You said they have mutual respect for the countries they are in :
But that is not so true- they demand things from our Government and because our Govt are in a weak/defensive position they balk under pressure;
e.g 1.the Mahaut/ Massacre by-pass
2. over 12 million dollars foundation of the stadium that was dumped
In big countries with immense reserves, china has no choice but to negotiate with those govt because China is in desperate need of those reserves
But countries like Dominica where we have few natural reserves, we are in a weak negotiating position
Finally our Leaders have to be more hard- balled and more skilled in negotiating with those experienced and shrewd Chinese officials
OUR PROBLEM IS THE WAY THINGS ARE BEING DONE HERE. THAT IS OUR PROBLEN NOW.
WHILE WE ARE ABLE TO ANALYSIS WORLD AFFAIRES FROM A WAITIKUBULI CONCEPT, THERE IS AN “UNTOUCHABLE” GOVERNANCE THAT SEEMS FAR REMOVED FROM THE REALITY ON THE GROUND.
THE SAME ENERGY YOU HAVE USED TO ADVANCE OUR DISCUSSION IN OVERSTANDING CHINA AND THE USA, WE WANT YOU TO USE THAT SAME ENERGY AND CLARITY TO ASSIST US TO GO BEYOND THIS DISSTABISING QUAGMIRE EXISTING NOW FOR THIS COUNTRY TO MOVE.
THANKS
Mr Henderson, you are good man and maybe you are testing the political waters, but your little entry into global politics is not new new and you have said nothing here.
What was the purpose of your writing because I cannot deduce anything from your post.
I just saw this posting from the Financial times of which I have a paid subscription, so let me share this free piece with you
High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email [email protected] to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/90c4c7f6-dd54-11e0-9dac-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1XmGXdh93
Italy’s centre-right government is turning to cash-rich China in the hope that Beijing will help rescue it from financial crisis by making “significant” purchases of Italian bonds and investments in strategic companies.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/90c4c7f6-dd54-11e0-9dac-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1XmFaG3R7.
I have been around long enough to understand where we are presently. In the 80s the Japanese rose quickly and through poor policy management they crumbled.
We are now seeing the rise of the Chinese, and as you stated, they are fostering a new set of partnership which is soley based on economics and not military and political interference.
I hope the Chinese take a mored structured global leadership position and provide a pathway to the current global economic malaise that we are goin through. Because no matter how much aid you provide, unless it can lead to sustainalble developmemt, your genuine effort will fail and you will be the next Japan.
So help us succeed and your will be even more successful
there he goes again talking out of his other end……will the real wikileaks please stand up!!
give yourself a thumbs up. oh ill do it for you
@ Rain River, if you understand it so well, help a brother out uh man! Explain it to me. I agree I am not educated enough to understand it, so I beg one of those who do to explain what they understand by it please. I hope I am not asking too much from my Dominican folk. Each one teach one??? Ok!
Nice article except that If the Chinese fund political parties during campaigns that can be considered political interference
@Villas.
All the neo-colonizers do. Taiwan and Japan is believed to fund all parties. That way you cannot say they support one party against the other, but they have their foot in the door no matter who wins. I would not be suprised if China does the same.
Henderson knows what he is talking about. He has covered all the bases.
Boss…..nice writing! Now i need local officials to inform me on the MOU we have with China….you keep quoting figures and showing numbers all over the place to back up ur story here…..i need to get as clear a picture as that on the DOMINICA-CHINA policy.
You talking sweet cheese about China policy with US and certain African countries………it appears to me and others in Dominica that Dominica’s agreement with the chinese is a secret whereas the policies in other countries appear to be wide open.
It is easier for me to understand China-US or China-Africa policies………I need to understand in Dominican terms…..
i propose that our CARICOM integration will take the back seat to ALBA, China, Libya, and other countries.
Teach me something……what did we give precedence over the West Indies Federation? Today we are again at the same table…again we have to give it up for COLONIALISM ……NEO-COLONIALISM.
@can use my brain.
CARICOM Integration has been taking back seat to Nationalism since the idea was mooted in the 50’s. Bustamante said de small island dem like little pigs trying to suck off the mother pig so he aint want no Federation wid dem. Of Course, Sparrow sang his mind about with the calypso, “Federation”, showing disgust over the breaking up of the proposed Caribbean Federation.
So is not now Caribbean Integration proposals taking blows and it has nothing to do with the names you mentioned but all to do with nationalism. Every pin wants to be king of his own little domain. Perhaps it is good for us perhaps it is not. Look at the problems they are having the EU.
Man needs to become more spiritual for such integration to work.
Nice piece Raymond. You write like you working on your PhD. Good work Raymond. Keep writing.
Thats the kind of mental capacity we need in the gov, not people that have to use lies deceit and handouts to stay in power. Hope our pm reads that, because wisdom can come from all aspects, not just from crony advisers..
jim jones! read that hmmmm you forget the man is the second coming of christ?? come to wash away our sins…
china expansionism is really another subtle but clever way to infiltrate poverty stricken
politics like Dominica’s.i see it more of taking advantage while under the pretense of giving aid.
Nice piece of work brethren. I can only hope that the Chinese respond to the uproar. But we must also be mindful that the Chinese owe us nothing. They could gladly invest all their capital in their own country but their master plan is to expand their markets.
While the USA expands its military budget, the Chinese grow their economy. But the Chinese economic revolution is far from over. Because of their large population of over 1.3 billion, (more than 4 times the population of the USA), many Chinese still live in poverty. China ranks between 94-100 in GDP per capita, according to the IMF, World Bank and CIA Fact Book. By comparism, Dominica ranks about 78-82, Venezuela ranks 70th (IMF) and Cuba # 86 (CIA FB). So if each country shares its pie equally, Venezuela does the best, followed by Dominica, then Cuba and China.
Dominica’s poverty is rooted in its lack of technological advancement. How do we use the available science to create the manufacturing industries to harness our resources ? So far, our traditional US, EU and Canadian partners have been unwilling to transfer their technology. Let’s hope that new partnerships with China, Brazil and India will help us compete in the technological revolution. We do not just want to be part of other countries markets but to be producers of goods and services.
I think the definition of “not interfering in internal politics” need to be reassessed.
Reality: when you quote:
“In 2010 the US spent about $663 billion on its military; China about $78 billion. How is the US financing this massive expenditure? By borrowing money, mainly from China. Within a decade the US will be spending more of the federal budget on interest payments to China than it does on its armed services.”
Are you not misleading the reader since the cost of production in China is but a fraction of that in the USA. The fact is that China has been producing far more arms than the USA.
Producing arms, unfortunately, has become part of industry; (the military industrial complex). The military budget is an entirely different matter; that’s the spending done exclusively for the military. The US military Industrial Complex is privately owned and they make billions in profit. They sell weapons to the military.
Every cruise and tomahawk missile that is dropped in Iraq, Afghanistan or Libya, costs over $1 000 000 each. The US invests more in weapons of death and destruction than on education.
how did he mislead anyone? he was not talking about the military power that they possess he was simply stating the facts of the $$$ that are being spent. The point of the article here is politics of economy, not politics of war.
YES, HE’S BRIGHT
Lovely! Be informed my people; Be informedddd.
Thanks for your contribution towards mental liberation
China and the USA/EU have similar expansion programs simply because such a culture of greed and capture has limited options. The only option that has been derived is overt or covert.
If we learn from history we would see the need to develop the skills to defend ourselves by way of appropriate diplomacy; but we need solid virtues ie., honesty, consistency, etc.
Soft or hard power within present internatioanl standards has the same outcome- control of the recepient. Unfortunately while Africans are still the recepients, it is wise to decide on the lesser of the two evils on our way to recapture our place in the World Order.
Keeping in mind our role is to establish truth and right for all of mankind and that the order is not too tall. In otherwords COLLECTIVE SECURITY WILL ESTABLISH PEACE ON EARTH.
However, it is imperative to avoid dependency syndrome by first being internally strong.
Secondly, we must come with our input on the negotiating table. Our confidence can promote “sharing” instead of “begging”.
Thirdly, our leaders must be knowledgeable of what progress means to our people, who make up the number of resources that are necessary for world stability.
Fourthly, our ideas always must be unique to us as a nation. Unique enough to demand our space. Our ideas are what will streamline our boundaries as a people jealous of our freedom of thought and movement.
Our leaders must have zero tolerance for division and distraction otherwise we delay progress.
In the meantime, we watch, wait, work and pray.
Potentially this guy could be prime minister in the future.
Nope…doesn’t have the appeal..I see him more of a Chicken Chow Mein guy than a Peking Duck.
ohhh brother…..
this comment is in no way directed to the author of the article….It is one thing to be Educated and it is a complete other to have class and ethics….. having the former without the latter just makes most folks intellectual con men and women….
You want to read Mark Steyn’s new masterpiece “After America” that makes it clear how the future world will depend on China. This is just a taste below:
“In 2010 the US spent about $663 billion on its military; China about $78 billion. How is the US financing this massive expenditure? By borrowing money, mainly from China. Within a decade the US will be spending more of the federal budget on interest payments to China than it does on its armed services.”
Here in Dominica we are still hooked to the past where our traditional aid friends were Britain, Canada, USA and the EU. As a population we are still thinking that way. That is why we raise all these criticisms of China.That is why we cricize the government for trying to find non traditional sources of investment. As a people we have not caught on to the fact that the world is radically changing and we are still stuck in our old ways of thinking.
Very interesting article! Something to ponder upon!
“soft” for the reason that they are not meddling in their beneficiaries internal (political) affairs. Are you serious Raymond my friend? Did you forget Yei Dabou calling on all Dominicans to respect the One China policy? What about financing of the campaign of the ruling party?
“Remember, we need the Chinese for the next phase of our development. We need their capital; to restore the Trafalgar Falls to pre-1985 conditions; to tunnel through Morne Daniel and Morne Bruce to improve traffic conditions in the capital; to reconstruct the Mattieu Dam for commercial fishing, water sports and hydro-electricity”
Based on these final statements as quoted above I have another question. Are you a minister of government or some economic planner? because you seem to be putting foward some interesting LARGE SCALE plans none of which we have ever hear about before
Wow..very well written classmate! Proud of you and what you doing.
Are you are doctor for real? And you say this is well written? This article s like a game of hopstoch!! What did it really tell us? Could you tell us in your own words what the written was trying to say here? What is the thesis of his article?
Thanks!
Adda di nou ka tan meh nou paka copwan!
If so well written a paper is before you and you dont understand it, dont blame the writer.
I will join you in complimenting my classmate.
Job well done.
Well said
Wow nice peice if only these guys in parliment would take the time to educate there constituence DA would be further advance we have so much bickering, and division among us mabe one day we will come together hope it wont be to late.
And the bickering starts with you, Real Possie. Is that an “o” or a “u”?
Thanks for the info Bro, but what were you really saying?
The message is simple. Read again, but this time, with an open mind.
Its called ‘reading between the lines’.
U don’t hv to b a Rocket Scientist to understand the message from the article!