China’s involvement in Africa “not a bad thing”: South African
June 7, 2007 (JOHANNESBURG) — China’s increased political and economic relations with Africa should not be regarded as a dangerous and bad thing, and it all depends on how Africa frames its relations with China, a senior South African official said on Thursday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad also said China and South Africa should work as partners in international arenas such as the ongoing G8 Summit in Germany to help promote the development of Africa.
“The position of the South African government remains consistent: we believe that the Chinese involvement should not necessarily be seen as a dangerous thing for Africa in general and South Africa in particular,” Pahad told a media briefing in Pretoria.
“The reality is that China and India are two of the fastest growing economies of the world and are now partners with South Africa in the G-8 + 5 Outreach program and as such, will intensify their activities in Africa.
“This is not necessarily a bad thing,” he said.
Pahad mentioned the Chinese government’s position paper for this week’s G8 summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, which was released on Monday to outline Beijing’s policy on Africa.
China’s increasing investment in and trade with Africa, characterized by noninterference in internal affairs and no political conditions attached to aid, has been accused by Western countries of undoing Africa’s efforts to build democracy and good governance.
But in the position paper, Beijing argued that there should be “neither an invariable model nor a one-size-fits-all standard for good governance,” which “depends on whether the policy and system can promote a country’s economic and social development and serve the fundamental interests of its people.”
Pahad said the South African government also noticed that the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had praised China’s “helpful” role in Sudan’s Darfur issues.
He said South Africa welcomes the call from the UN Security Council for full and immediate implementation of UN Support Packages for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Sudan.
“South Africa fully supports the (UN) Secretary-General’s report on the situation in Darfur and therefore agree with the Security Council’s call that parties must meet their international commitments, support the political processes, end violence against civilians, attacks on peacekeepers, and facilitate humanitarian relief,” he said.
(Xinhua)