MURKY WATERS AND GLOBAL DOMINANCE

Lately I have been writing about the Chinese and their involvement in Africa. What started out as a deal to gain raw materials for the Chinese Industries as turned into something totally different. I used to see programs on television where the Chinese were investing in building dams for hydro electricity plants and as a thank you gained access to certain minerals like copper and iron ore. I was comfortable with this sort of thing as it benefited both parties.

What I have been researching lately doesn't sit well with me though. Through their Belt Road Initiative they are doing more damage than good. There is a long list of countries that signed up to the Chinese offerings of investment and are now being crippled. It is not just restricted to African countries as I read about the port dispute in Sri Lanka where the Chinese have taken control of a port on a 99 year lease. The people of Sri Lanka are not happy as it has been forced on them as they owe the Chinese a small fortune.

Where the Chinese have changed their policies is by offering investments into these under developed counties but at the same time enforcing they use Chinese labor and Chinese firms for the contracts. in the past local labor would have been sourced and the entire region would have benefited. An investment that would improve the country and region but at the same time offering hope through work and new skills.

China is a giant with a massive population that it needs to keep busy and employed in work. These projects it seems are more about China than the country they are supposedly helping. For every $1 Billion invested China looks to make back $6 Billion in return via whatever raw materials are on offer. Not only are they creating jobs for their people but are making vast sums of money for the Chinese Government companies and contractors.

Some of the countries that are now suffering for having signed up are learning the hard way and the fine print is now being enforced where the Chinese can cherry pick what they want for themselves. Mozambique has just started with China on a new initiative where they have concentrated on farming and now with the gas fields that were discovered recently they are developing the port. If one looks at the map of Africa it doesn't take a genius to see where Maputo is situated and is a perfect gateway into Africa. My money is on the Mozambicans falling into a debt trap and having to hand over the control of the port to the Chinese.

China is expanding far quicker than any other country around the globe and it reminds me of a modern day imperialism. They come into a country offering deals and then walk away with the kings ransom controlling the key strategic facilities that they have built and most likely have been paid for but not in full. When something costs 6 x what it should then who is fleecing who.

This needs to stop now as otherwise we are going to have a Chinese dominated super power that makes the rest of the world look weak. The Americans and Russians will be no match for this and the Chinese will control trade routes around the globe. The rest of the world has made this monster by buying their goods and maybe it is time to stop doing that before it is too late.

image source canstockphoto.com