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China's Hu rejects 'colonial' tag on South Africa visit
2007-02-07
Chinese President Hu Jintao has refuted any suggestion that Beijing was forming neo-colonialist ties with Africa in its bid to access the vast natural resources of the world's poorest continent. On the second day of a trip to Pretoria Wednesday -- the sixth leg of an eight-nation African swing -- Hu instead stressed that China wanted to make common cause with the continent to stand up to "rich bullies". Desperate to find the raw materials needed to fuel China's booming economy, Hu has been striking trade deals with fellow leaders at each step of his tour and doling out hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and soft loans. However complaints about China using Africa as a dumping ground for its cheap goods, particularly clothing, are legion while there have also been claims that Beijing is steadily milking the continent of its raw materials. Zwelinzima Vavi, head of the umbrella trade union organisation COSATU which forms part of South Africa's tripartite governing alliance, is among those who have termed the relationship as colonial and exploitative in nature. But in a keynote address at Pretoria University, Hu indicated the "colonial aggressions and oppression by foreign powers" experienced by the Chinese people in the last century meant that it would never throw its weight around. "Because of the sufferings they experienced and the struggle they launched, something they will never forget, the Chinese people are most strongly opposed to colonialism, oppression and slavery of all manifestations," he said in reference to Japan's occupation of China in the 1930s and 40s. "China has never imposed its will or unequal practices on other countries ... It will certainly not do anything harmful to the interests of Africa and its people." His host in South Africa, President Thabo Mbeki, has previously stated his belief that China will not "replicate the historic colonial economic relationship in terms of which Africa served as a source of raw materials and a market for goods manufactured in the countries of the colonisers." On Tuesday, Hu and Mbeki both hailed their burgeoning relationship by signing a raft of trade agreements after a two-hour long meeting. While bilateral trade between South Africa and China has surged in recent years, the balance remains heavily tipped in Beijing's favour, with South Africa exporting around 1.2 billion dollars worth of goods a year to China while the level of imports is worth 4.35 billion dollars. In his speech at the university, Hu reiterated his belief that strengthening ties between China and Africa would benefit everyone. "China and Africa have extensive common ground and a fine tradition of cooperation on major international issues. It serves our shared interests to strengthen coordination in international affairs," he said. "We should ... call on the international community to focus on Africa, urge developed countries to deliver their commitments of improving market access, increasing aid and debt relief and take effective steps to help African peoples resolve their difficulties." "The Chinese are a peace-loving nation. We believe in cooperation and harmony ... and we hold that the strong and the rich should not bully the weak and the poor," the president added. Before his address to the university, Hu held talks with South Africa's Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Education Minister Naledi Pandor. Later Wednesday, he met with members of the local Chinese community and was then due to visit a cave near Johannesburg, baptised the Cradle of Humankind, containing the most complete hominid fossil found to date. Hu started his swing through Africa in Cameroon, going on to Liberia, Sudan, Zambia and Namibia. From South Africa, he travels on to Mozambique and the Seychelles before heading home.
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