主题：【文摘】太有喜感了，为什么非洲喜欢新殖民主义。 -- 富柜

Why Africa welcomes the ‘new colonialism’

Many see China’s engagement in Africa as a catastrophe for the continent. There is a widespread perception that saintly Britain had adopted this poor little girl called Africa and was busy saving her from hunger, war, disease and poverty. Suddenly big, greedy China, flashing huge deals and cheap goods, has seduced the girl and is leading her astray, even raping her. And to make it worse for Britain, ungrateful Africa sometimes feels that although Chinese intentions may not be entirely honourable, China at least treats her like a grown up.

I say let the Chinese have a go, and good luck to them. If it cuts down or, better yet, eliminates altogether the funds that pour into Africa from Europe then that sounds good to me. Let someone else try another way. I know, I know...call me self-serving, but it's a harsh world and we might as well reap what benefits we can. Money saved is money earned.

At least for the first time in her history, Africa continent enjoyed a steady 5% plus GDP growth for a decade. If the "Saintly" Brits (actually the whole west countries) had failed for centuries, why not give China a chance? Sudan has just been listed by the west as the most failed state, but its GDP growth in the past 2 years are over 10%. Why not let it continue to "fail"?

This is all brilliant news as far as I'm concerned. The more China gets involved in world affairs (and the more the West retreats), the more responsibility will flow their way.

I, for one, am extremely sick of the guilt card that half the world always plays on us for colonialism and other historic mistakes.

Let China make some mistakes. It'll take the spotlight off of us. We'll see how long it takes before Al Qaeda and other such muppets tire of Beijing. I suspect we won't have to wait long.

In the meantime, we should retreat all our military forces and limit diplomatic interference. Then, when the third world goes after China the way they've come after us, we'll just sit quietly in the corner with the Swiss.

The Chinese have one advantage: they are explicit that they are in Africa because of their national/self interest. The West has been in Africa for centuries for the same reason but have pretended otherwise. In dealing with foreigners we Africans have to develop a clear view as to what is our national interest. We are exploited, undeveloped, patronised, even ridiculed because we are unable, as a people, to see clearly, even today, what Kwame Nkrumah saw decades ago. It's no use blaming the Chinese, or for that matter, even the West.