China is bound to run into problems in Africa

Chinese companies are bound to run into serious problems in Africa sooner rather than later.

The way they operate is unconscionable. In most cases, safety standards are non-existent. Wages are a pittance. The management have no human relations skills whatsoever and are often accused of practicing karate on workers. That is if the speak English at all let alone the local language of the area where they will be operating.

They don't socialize with locals much. In contrast Europeans were rapacious in their appetite for local black women (although they liked to pretend they were not and claim it was black men who wanted white women). Africa's large mixed race community, of whom over 95% have white men as ancestors, is testimony to that.

Individual Chinese businesses do not invest in local infrastructure. Where investiment happens it is from the Chinise government, but that is not a substitute for the company being seen to be caring by the community within which it is operating. In fact Chinese businesses are notorious for evading taxes, and their owners are infamous for carrying cash around to evade being monitored through the banking system.

The Chinese are relying on lining the pockets of politicians to smooth their stay in Africa. That won't help them for long. Without the option of straight forward oppression and colonization that Europeans used, they won't last for long in Africa. They have to develop good community relations if they want to last. They should not be taken for a ride by politicians who only want to line their pockets while misleading both the Chinese and the community.

It is said that working conditions in China itself are not any better. Indeed this has been highlighted by some very high profile cases such as recent suicides at factories supplying world computer giant Apple. Chinese workers have little rights and apparently are not even allowed to form trade unions.

That can only mean that Chinese managers who are not accustomed to managing unionized workers are going to have problems in Africa. Workers in Africa have a long history of fighting for their rights, not just in the workplace but also against general racial oppression. They generally follow the Western unionization model. Chinese managers who do not have experience with the Western unionization model are bound to run into problems when dealing with collective labour action.

Indeed a recent incident in Zambia ended with tragic consequences for a Chinese manager who was killed when workers pushed a mine trolley at him.

It has been reported in some media that Chinese crime syndicates are now also finding their way to Africa and getting involved in such illicit activities as prostitution. Many African cultures exhibit strong communal loathing for crime with vigilante action sometimes being a result.

With their business practices already perceived negatively, the Chinese should not add crime to that negative perception.

They should be keenly aware that the main reason why they enjoy good fortunes in Africa now, is that they are seen as being better than the exploitative Western domination, that was the hallmark of colonialism. If they start being equated with Western colonizers, their star will very quickly crash to the ground.

Given that they don't have a strong neo-colonial presence in Africa as the West does, their exit will be much faster.