Tag: China

China-Africa Joint Development: Beyond Slogans

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Moshi Israel

To understand the drive behind the concept of China-Africa joint development, one needs to know exactly what China wants from Africa and what Africa wants from its relationship with China. The cooperation between Africa and China aims to be a symbiotic relationship where benefits are shared fairly and at times equally.

The key objectives for forming alliances and partnerships among nation-states are for security and trade. Through joint development partnership, China and Africa can ensure their respective economic security because the concepts of trade and security within the framework of international partnerships and relationships often intersect. One way they intersect is through the correlation between trade and economic security. Good trade policies and practices can lead to economic security which is at a larger scale is a form of national security. A rich and successful country is secure in many ways. Joint economic partnerships ensure and insure the national security of all involved.

During the China-Africa Leader’s Dialogue in August of this year, in Johannesburg South Africa, President Xi Jinping highlighted the fact that China was steadily marching towards achieving its second centenary goal of becoming a ‘great modern socialist country in all respects that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. He reiterated that China was pursuing its rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. This is China’s vision for itself and by analyzing this vision, we can deduce exactly what China wants with Africa. In short, China needs a stable, developed, independent, and reliable Africa to conduct business and foster civilizational exchanges for a shared future of prosperity. China can help Africa achieve its development ambitions and Africa can help China realize its ambitions for its people and vision for a world of harmonious coexistence.

China intends to expand the global market and make it diverse and less dependent on the core countries of the Western bloc. China, itself a developing country has decided to look south for developing markets, where it can trade its products and in turn assist the development process of countries in the global south. Through BRICs+, BRI, FOCAC and other initiatives, China has consistently courted Africa and made its intentions clear. Symbolic of the deep ties between China and Africa is the elevation of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership in 2018 during the Beijing FOCAC summit.

For this relationship to work smoothly, Africa needs to know what it wants from China and fortunately, this is increasingly clear as stipulated through Agenda 2063. It is an agenda that seeks to transform the continent into a global powerhouse of the future. Through Agenda 2063, Africa aims to deliver on its objectives for sustainable and inclusive development. The agenda is driven by the Pan-African spirit rooted in the desire for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress, and collective prosperity. Agenda 2063 is an affirmation of pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance.  This pan-African vision was assented to by African leaders through the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration during the golden jubilee celebrations of the formation of the OAU/AU in May 2013. The vision imagines an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena.

Under the current global political climate, Africa and China need each other. President Xi recognizes this with precise clarity and therefore has spearheaded efforts and a renewed drive by China to rejuvenate, reinvigorate, and redefine its relationship with Africa. The result should be a limitless friendship that is much more integrated and equal where both party’s interests are protected through joint efforts.

Proposed areas of collaboration include; working to safeguard a peaceful and secure global environment, building an open and inclusive world economy, and promoting an equitable and just international order. Also, China through the assurances of its president seeks to cooperate with Africa to enhance the synergy of both party’s development strategies, support Africa’s voice in the international arena, support Africa’s industrialization and Agricultural modernization, and implement a plan on China-Africa talent development.

The joint development of Africa and China will mostly rely on the initiatives proposed by the latter. These initiatives include the GDI, GSI and GCI, (Global Development Initiative, Global Security initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative) all respectively addressing the key problem areas of development deficit, security challenges and a gap in mutual learning between civilizations.

By analysing these initiatives, we can decipher that China’s partnership with Africa is not solely based on economic gains. It goes further and beyond the limitations of realpolitik. China is not focused only on practical considerations when it comes to partnership with Africa, the rationale of cooperation is also rooted in moral and ideological concepts. China and Africa consider themselves family with a bond forged through history. A past of shared suffering under colonialism, imperialism and racism binds Africa and China. The latter’s lessons of wisdom through the ‘miracle’ of unprecedented development can be an inspiration to Africa’s own renaissance.

The African Union has embraced the idea of an integrated continent through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA). A more integrated Africa is a powerful one and Beijing supports this process. It is a popular view both in Africa and China that Africa’s own path to modernisation should be an African idea with African characteristics. By pushing its own modernisation path, China indirectly shows Africa the way and it is up to the giant continent to map its own path by learning what is practical from China’s experience.

For so long, the African continent has been underestimated and under looked. Africa has experienced its own centuries of humiliation and has forever struggled to raise its head above water. However, the continent, with the help of China has changed the narrative and is back floating and ready to swim. Africa is projected to have a population of over 2.7 billion people by 2060, well above the combined populations of both India and China. In the same year the continent is projected to have a combined output of $16 trillion and a vibrant middle-class market. China on the other hand is the second largest economy in the world and has a lot of potential to be the world’s leading economy with time.

It is therefore, this potential that makes China-Africa joint development an interesting prospect. Together, a better multilateral world is a reality and a shared future for all humanity is guaranteed.

The Writer is a Senior Research Fellow with Development Watch Center.

THE TRUE CHINA

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Moshi Israel

What is the true China? This is a question that is asked frequently by many, both elites and ordinary citizens from all walks of life all around the world. The China question is an important one since the country has a history spanning millennia and has consistently existed in global discourse, playing an important role throughout the world’s long history. Interest in China is not new and has steadily peaked over time mostly because it is a country that is unique in its characteristics and ideologies, yet very similar to many others in its political, social, cultural, and economic realities.

There is no absolute answer as to what is the true China. However, my answer to this question would be; that the true China is its people. My answer is not a new profound answer to the question, rather it is an observation influenced by personal experience. In a recent collaboration with the China Africa Institute (CAI), the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) alongside the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS), I attended a seminar in Beijing and Guangzhou themed Chinese Modernisation and China –Africa Joint Development. During this seminar, I better understood the significance of President Xi’s brilliant remark that the people are the country, and the country is the people.

China’s national organization is unique and a lot can be learned from it. The country is organized around the careful and strategic planning of its government led by the Communist Party of China (CPC). Despite all the vitriol from certain Western political centers about the CPC and its method of governance, my observation is that the Chinese people love the party and want to be part of it and its agenda. Patriotism is a key trait of Chinese people. The CPC does not demand uncritical loyalty from its members but also does not tolerate traitorous schemes of trying to overthrow the government. The government is the party and the party is the government. This is a system that works for China and has consistently delivered on development in all aspects which has led to an increase in people’s happiness. After all, it is one of the CPC’s and dare I say should be humanity’s principle to ensure the happiness of the people by helping them to realize their ambitions, hopes, and dreams. The CPC created a Chinese dream that is completely different in practice from the American dream. The Chinese dream is rooted in socialism, togetherness, and country above self as opposed to the individualistic American dream rooted in profit at the expense of everything else.

The CAI has done a commendable job in advancing China-Africa relations to greater heights. Its current vice president, Wang Xiao Ming is the embodiment of China’s warm embrace with Africa through mutual respect and focused collaboration. Moreover, through UCASS and CASS, China is also successfully bridging the information gap within the international community by telling China’s story through the lenses of well-educated and highly informed scholars. Seminars like the one described above are a vital magnet in attracting keen and genuine interest in the China question. More effort needs to be placed in such seminars and I confidently predict that within a short time, the narrative on China will have changed dramatically. Western framing of China holds no power or sway among well-informed and educated communities of people.

The warm, welcoming, and curious yet reserved people of China that I interacted with are the true ambassadors of the People’s Republic. The people and their culture make China a beautiful country that is truly a place prepared to lead the world into a new era of prosperity, civilizational diversity, peaceful development, and, true multi-polarity

Of course, not everything or everyone is perfect in China just like everywhere else. However, honest visitors to China will most likely come to a similar conclusion as I did. Unfortunately, a good number of people know nothing about China except for what they see in Western media, unreliable African tabloids, biased pundits, and pseudo-intellectuals with a pre-programmed worldview.

The fact is most of the discourse on China in Africa is dominated by Western ideological lenses and frames. This is driven forward by a propagandized media with a barrage of often skewed facts. The term ‘fake news’ did not gain popularity by mistake. There has been a concerted effort from Western governments to sully the image of China and create an aura of negativity around the country. However, a visit to China can reveal an entirely different truth.

The leadership of the CPC has captured the true meaning of good governance based on the principles of planned development with respect for the environment. The air in Beijing which was once polluted, and painted a bad image of China is now very clean and clear. The greenery in Beijing can be observed from the sky as the city leadership has taken unprecedented steps to clean it up. Also, the government has undertaken a large program to rid the city of harmful exhaust fumes from fuel-powered vehicles. The city has embarked on a bold program to increase the number of electric vehicles on the road and slowly transition from fuel-powered cars. The capital, despite having millions of people, is mostly quiet, clean, and organized. The crime rate in major Chinese cities is relatively low compared to some Western capitals. This is a huge achievement because it shows that the CPC’s way of governance leads to safety for both locals and foreigners.

Furthermore, whereas China is still a developing country, the CPC has taken huge strides to make the lives of Chinese better and much simpler. The transport network or system in China is state-of-the-art and can be compared to a few around the world. The subways are clean and well-maintained, and the transport system is fast and efficient.

Guangzhou is a city that bears hallmarks of China’s embrace of the future. The city is a vibrant spectacle of cultural diversity and inter-civilizational exchanges. In the outskirts is the China-Singapore knowledge city that is also a towering beacon of China’s future which is ambitious, daring, artistic, planned, and a testament to the CPC’s good governance through collaboration with willing partners.

Most people misunderstand China’s strict laws and often overlook the fact that it’s these laws that have made China a vibrant tourist destination and a safe place for all law-abiding foreigners. While in China, it is hard to see an armed officer, yet everyone seems to be orderly. The people have gradually internalized a true rules-based society and are mostly organized.

Finally, I think China-Africa relations are better served with these kinds of educational exchanges involving different groups of people from different sectors of the African economy. Mutual learning eventually leads to mutual understanding, win-win partnerships, and a shared future of prosperity. China has a lot to learn from Africa and the reverse is true. The future of China-Africa joint development is in the capable hands of the CPC and the Chinese people, African leaders, and African people and in organizations such as CAI, CASS, UCASS, Development Watch Center, and many more others. People-to-people diplomacy is the ultimate plug between China and Africa. CASS, CAI, and UCASS through joint efforts have managed to show the true China to many African friends.

The Writer is a Senior Research Fellow at the Development Watch Center

Xi’s Third Belt & Road Forum Speech Re-affirms China’s Commitment to Building a Community of Shared Prosperity

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Allawi Ssemanda

Last week, the world leaders gathered in Chinese capital Beijing as leaders from over 150 countries, and representatives of international organisations met in Beijing for the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The event also marked 10 years of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Jointly implemented by participating partners, BRI which was initiated by China in 2013 is a high quality public good whose benefits are shared by the world. The project delivers high-standard, sustainable and livelihood-enhancing outcomes globally appreciated.

The project is highly commended for its contribution towards global infrastructure development which has greatly contributed to global connection and easing of trade and the movement of goods and services which has contributed to uplifting of 40 million people out of extreme poverty across BRI economies. This makes the initiative a textbook example of win-win cooperation and shared prosperity which China has always advocated for.

Stressing that the Belt and Road cooperation is based on the principles of “planning together, building together, and benefiting together,” President Xi explained that the BRI “transcends differences between civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of development,” adding that “it has opened up a new path for exchanges among countries, and established a new framework for international cooperation.”  “The BRI represents humanity’s joint pursuit of development for all,” observed President Xi.

With this, one can argue that President Xi was spot-on considering study reports about BRI conducted by different independent organisations including major think tanks and the World Bank (WB) whose conclusions contend that BRI is contributing to global development.

The other key area President Xi noted in his speech is the progress the BRI has achieved in green and low-carbon development and addressing climate change challenges. He revealed that this huge public good initiative does not only look at addressing today’s needs by improving connectivity through infrastructure development but it is also keen to addressing environmental concerns as a way of addressing climate change which is key for sustainable development as China continues her efforts of ensuring shared prosperity for mankind. “China has issued documents such as the Guidance on Promoting Green Belt and Road and the Guidelines on Jointly Promoting Green Development of the Belt and Road, and set itself the ambitious goal of forming a basic framework of green development through BRI cooperation by 2030,” Xi announced.  While critics of the BRI have always wrongfully claimed that the initiative is silent about environment, President Xi revealed; “China has also signed an MoU with the United Nations Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road…, reached environmental cooperation agreements with more than 30 countries and international organizations, launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development together with 31 countries, formed the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition with more than 150 partners from 40-plus countries, and established the Belt and Road Energy Partnership with 32 countries.”

Further, President Xi also talked about debt sustainability among BRI economies (countries that signed up for the BRI). He explained different ways China has put in place through consultations with partner countries as a way of managing debts so that the project supports wholesomely partner countries without causing economic stress. He stressed that basing “on the principle of equal participation and benefit and risk sharing, China and 28 countries approved the Guiding Principles on Financing the Development of the Belt and Road, encouraging the governments, financial institutions and enterprises of participating countries to attach importance to debt sustainability and improve their debt management capability.”

With aim of avoiding debt burden to BRI economies, China came up with debt sustainability framework for low-income countries. This framework which is endorsed by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund when extending funding and loan facilities looks at among others actual conditions of individual countries. Additionally, while implementing BRI projects, “China has prioritized economic and social benefits and provided loans for project construction based on local needs and conditions. The key areas of investment are infrastructure projects designed to increase connectivity, and projects for public wellbeing urgently needed in participating countries. These have brought effective investment, increased high-quality assets, and boosted development momentum,” Xi stressed.

It is not a surprise that several studies continue to credit BRI projects as catalysts for social-economic development of not just BRI economies but also countries that did not sign up for it but are in corridors of the BRI.  For example, a study by WB conducted in 191 countries, titled “How Much Will the Belt and Road Initiative Reduce Trade Costs?” concluded that the Belt and Road Initiative projects have made trade easier in BRI participating countries by “reducing shipment times and trade costs at country-sector level.”

Examining trade figures from 191 BRI economies and those in BRI corridors and 1,818 cities in BRI economies only, the study concluded that “for Belt and Road economies, the change in shipment times and trade costs will range between 1.7 and 3.2 percent and 1.5 and 2.8 percent, respectively.” Further, the study found that non BRI economies or countries that did not sign up for the BRI are equally benefiting from the initiative stressing that it has led to “reduction in shipment time ranging between 1.2 and 2.5%,” and reduced “trade costs of up to 2.2%.” Also observed by the study was that BRI economies and those countries where BRI projects go through or BRI corridors benefited the most with “shipment times along these corridors decline by up to 11.9% and trade gains by 10.2%,” noted the WB study.

Generally, there is a consensus that the BRI is a public good whose benefits are being enjoyed by a great percentage of mankind irrespective of our respective countries. For example, between 2013 and 2022, the cumulative value of imports and exports between China and BRI economies reached US $19.1 trillion which translates to 6.4% average annual growth, according to a white paper (WT), “The Belt and Road Initiative: A Key Pillar of the Global Community of Shared Future” released by China’s State Council Information Office this month. In this WT, figures indicate steady growth in two-way investments between BRI economies and China which reached USD $280 billion. As of 2022, the value of both imports and exports between BRI economies and China reached USD 2.9 trillion translating to 45.4% of China’s overall foreign trade which represents 6.2% increase if compared with 2013; while the overall value of imports and exports of Chinese private enterprises to BRI economies grew past USD 1.5 trillion which translates to 53.7% of trade between China and BRI economies for the said period.

From her successful experience, China understands the role infrastructure plays while pursuing sustainable development. As two Chinese adage contend; “要想富” , “先修路”; “Better roads lead to better life.” and “Build roads if you want to get rich,” it is clear that it is China’s thirst to contribute in building a community of shared future for mankind in the new era, that with hope of mutual benefits, Beijing embarked on funding this huge public good project  the Belt and Road Initiative to fasten efforts of achieving shared prosperity for mankind in the new era.

Allawi Ssemanda, PhD is Executive Director Sino-Uganda Research Centre and a Senior Research Fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

The Belt and Road Initiative Celebrates 10 Years: The Journey of China and Uganda Cooperation in Summary

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Alan Collins Mpewo

Looking to the earlier years before 2023 looks nearer, like yesterday, and yet when the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was launched in 2013, making it thus far would seem unachievable. It is 10 years now that the initiative has endured. It has withstood all possible forms of hurdles along the way, especially from the foreign antagonism towards China. The outright goal of BRI remains connecting the world and easing trade and movement of goods and services. Akin to the silk route that connected the major parts of Euro-Asia, the BRI has done much in bringing various countries together, with a record connection of more than150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed up for the project. It also covers a third of the world’s GDP and more than three-fourths of the countries in the world.

To date, BRI has worked on more than 3000 cooperation projects among BRI economies, which has resulted into easing of trade and movement of goods and services resulting into investments of close to one trillion USD which has helped in job creation among participating countries and also by extension helped in reducing poverty.

Infrastructure development with focus on roads, railways, ports, airports and energy infrastructure are some of major projects the BRI has supported over the past 10 years.

The infrastructural set-up in Africa by China speaks for itself. It’s from that point of line that Uganda, just like other few countries, can now be certain that the oil dream is yet to be achieved. Chinese capital has been a go by, and what is most interesting, is that China levels granting access to their manpower and technology. This has been done with Uganda following the principle of mutual benefits and respect. China understands the fact that you can’t have sustainable development without proper infrastructure. Indeed, Chinese people have two common saying that; “要想富” , “先修路” loosely translated; “Better roads lead to better life.” and “Build roads if you want to get rich.” I am convinced right understanding explains China’s historic success story and as a way of building a community of shared future for mankind in the new era, China is sharing their experience supporting willing partners through especially through the Belt and Road Initiative which has made infrastructure development a priority.

It should be understood that Uganda being one of the first African countries to establish relations with China, has benefited more than most of her counterparts. Though it is still work in progress, with Chinese hand, today, Uganda has descent road networks spread almost in all parts of the country from the North to south, East to West and Central. China’s financing to Uganda has not only been in the road infrastructure, but also other projects such as in energy and gas. Karuma and Isimba hydropower dams are part of the major successes under this initiative. For a country like Uganda that has seen a great shift in its economic priorities, industrialization has always been a major factor to consider. Because of this, electricity supply needed to be increased across all parts of the country. After the commissioning of the Isimba dams, Uganda’s electricity capacity has grown and it is expected the country will have more especially after commissioning the nearly complete Karuma dam.

Before the Kampala-Entebbe express way was completed, transportation to and from Entebbe which doubles as Uganda’s aerial entry point was filled with much time spent on road. This equally had an effect on those who would later choose to access further areas via Lake Victoria, accounting for the much time spent on road. The story has changed in great measures. The new express way was financed by China with the understanding that time spent would be less, in order to expedite transportation of services and goods to the Airport so that they would see their export to the international market. With completion of Entebbe expressway, the time spent on the road is now about 30 minutes down from about 2 hours during heavy traffic jam.

Industrialization is not known anymore for what it was in Uganda, many years ago. Uganda had for a long time felt comfortable dealing with foreign made products than its locally made. This obviously is accounted for by many factors such as less expertise, technological challenges, and finances, and yet, Uganda’s potential to produce raw materials is unquestionable. China’s belt and road initiative has greatly changed that status quo. Organization is now a virtue, and this is seen from the scattered industrial parks by Chinese investors. This was long overdue because there needed to be a formal set-up for the industries and their professionals to converge together and carry out business while enjoying benefits granted to them in a centralized environment.

It goes without saying therefore, that while all the above are often cited, that the oil dream is yet to become the greatest success story of the two countries. The Albertine region of Uganda will soon be the hub that supplies oil, joining other global players. It cannot be said enough, of what the proceeds of the oil exportation can do for Uganda. Education, medical access, industrialization, energy and gas, and much more, if the finances are well used. The bottom line is the reduction in the unemployment rate of Uganda. Uganda’s unemployment rate stands almost equal to the employment rate, which leaves questions as to what exact extent can it be tackled. Since the growth of Chinese projects, unemployment has greatly reduced and more success is yet to be realized with the coming up of more projects under the initiative.

Much can be said about the Belt and Road Initiative and its impact to Uganda but what stands out presently is the fact that it has withstood for 10 years while positively impacting not just Uganda but over 150 Countries. It is with sincerity that the key players keep the pace for more years to come, because there is more to gain, than losing.

Alan Collins Mpewo is a Senior Research Fellow, Development Watch Center

Palestine-Israel Conflict: U.S & the EU are Hypocrites; They Should Learn from China

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Allawi Ssemanda

There are growing fears of unprecedented humanitarian crisis as a result of Israeli indiscriminate bombing and blockade of Gaza strip. This follows widely expected Israeli ground invasion as the fanatical far-right government vows to turn Gaza into what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “desert island” as a response to what Israelis see as humiliating attack by Hamas.

This is after Hamas fighters breached Israel’s assumed tight security and killed at least 1,200 people before retreating with captured soldiers and civilians as hostages. Israelis responded with a disproportional force; bombing Gaza with thousands of bombs and killed over 2,400 Palestinians including children, women and elderly. As indiscriminate bombing is ongoing, Israel has ordered more than 1.1 million people in Gaza to move to South but later targeted and killed 70 civilians as they fled the area. UN strongly opposed the order saying it is ‘impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences’.

Hamas argues; their offensive was in response to desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque and endless Israeli atrocities against Palestinians over the decades listing 17-year blockade, Israeli raids inside West Bank cities, increasing attacks by settlers on Palestinians and growing expansion of illegal settlements in occupied territories.

Even before Netanyahu declared a “state of war” against Gaza, U.S ruler, Joe Biden responded equating Hamas’ incursion to America’s 9/11 before he repeated unsubstantiated Israel’s allegations that Hamas fighters “raped women” and “beheaded babies”. In what appeared like a well-rehearsed orchestra, from Washington to London, Paris to EU headquarters, they voiced their unconditional support for apartheid Israel and condemned “unprovoked attacks against Israel” and repeated Washington’s lines calling Hamas terrorists.

If critically analysed, as constructivists and poststructuralists would argue, terrorism is a result of stereotypes and a misconception politically and socially constructed to describe some groups with primary purpose of discrediting actors involved and portray them as violent so that they are rejected by right thinking members of community.

Just hours after Western leader’s similar wording of solid support for Israel, Israel’s far-right defense minister Yoav Gallant declared a “complete siege” Gaza’s about 365 square km, with its 2.36 million Palestinians, which has been under an Israel’s blockade for 17 years.

Describing Palestinians as “human animals” Gallant announced; “a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed.”

As Netanyahu posted videos of civilians’ buildings being bombed, EU President Ursula von der Leyen who on October 19th 2022 told EU parliament; “Russia’s attacks against civilian infrastructure, especially electricity, are war crimes. Cutting off men, women, children of water, electricity and heating with winter coming- these are acts of pure terror” did not criticise Israel’s decision to cut off same supplies to Palestinians.

The above shows double standards and hypocrisy of leaders of the E.U and their American allies. Rightly so, Clare Daly, the Irish Member of Parliament to the EU told off Ursula for being a hypocrite; “the double standards of Ursula and EU leaders are laid bare. They back Israel to hilt, even as it engages in state terror against innocent people. All wars are evil, and all victims deserve support, and until you get on that page, you have no credibility whatever.”

Sadly, Israel backers seem not bothered or are not doing much as civilians’ death from Israel’s collective punishment skyrockets. Hopefully, they are not waiting for the wishes of former U.S’ ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley who told Netanyahu to “finish them.” Put differently, the U.S and the EU are fully backing what radical theorists Noam Chomsky calls “wholesale state terrorism” against Palestinians.

Of the major powers, it is only China and Russia that have called for de-escalation, exercising restraint, respecting of international laws and ending hostilities to protect civilians. In a statement, China pointed at the root cause of Palestine-Israel conflict and suggested how to address it; “The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine. The international community needs to act with greater urgency, step up input into the Palestinian question, facilitate the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and find a way to bring about enduring peace,” read the stamen.

China’s response is not only peace cantered. It is in line with UN recommendations. Strangely, the U.S criticised China claiming it leaned more on Palestine’s side with U.S Senate Majority Chuck Schumer telling China’s top diplomat Wang Yi that China should stand with Israel.

It should be recalled; on 29th November 2012, after 65 years of the approval of the partition plan for Palestine, UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to recognise Palestine as approved by UN within the 1967 borders as a non-member state with observer status. 138 countries voted in favour, 41 abstained and only 9 voting against it. Therefore, as one of the five UNSC permanent members, China’s stand should be lauded by the peace-loving countries including hypocrites in Washington and Brussels who have made it a tradition to cherry-pick when to call for observance and respecting of international laws.

Otherwise, it is despicable to see the Biden administration and allies unbothered by the racist and genocidal language calling Palestinians “human animals.” It is sickening seeing U.S which normally presents itself as a defender of international laws and playing by rules being the same country arming Israel with bombs aiding Netannyahu’s crimes against humanity in Gaza.

In equal measures, seeing EU’s Ursula von der Leyen issuing Israel a blanket cheque that she and the EU are behind what she called self defense which Israel is using including their complete siege and blockading of electricity, food, fuel, which while referring to Russia-Ukraine crisis called “war crimes” begs us to ask and doubt claims of values they have always claimed to have.

From above, Israel’s war against Palestine and Russia-Ukraine crisis have exposed the West and their lies. Their claims of being pro-democracy or having values is fake news as we have seen their media promote largely propaganda during the said two conflicts.

Like old brats, seeing Biden and Ursula von der Leyen, Rishi Sunak and Macron almost parroting Netanya’s speeches makes one thing clear. Geopolitics of self-claimed democracies and the so-called free world has never been about creating a peaceful and free world.  The logic that guides these reckless powerful countries is not human rights or democracy, neither is it about respecting sovereignty of other countries or upholding international law. It is just power and their selfish interest. They are hypocrites and the world should despise them for insulting international collective intelligence.

While I agree that targeting civilians by any side is unacceptable, we must have historical facts right! It’s wrong to compare Hamas with ISIS as the U.S and Israel would want. Hamas has never staged any attack outside historical Palestine. Their attacks are always in historical Palestine and the illegally occupied Palestine areas. The logic way to end this Israeli made and America backed crisis is to address the root cause. Implement the two-state solution!

Allawi Ssemanda is Senior Research Fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

 

 

Belt & Road Initiative at 10: International Relations Through the Lens of Economic Development

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Marvin Hannington Kalema

Often times, many people’s answers to a question on the purpose or importance of International Relations in the global scene would be primarily along the lines of maintenance of global peace by fostering mutual respect and goodwill among global states. This despite being somewhat an incomplete answer is not wrong at all upon a perusal of the prime article in the charter of the United Nations (UN), the globally recognized institution charged with the responsibility of fostering and promoting peaceful international relations.

However, article 3 of the abovementioned charter espouses, as one of the aims of the UN, a desire to achieve international co-operation in the solving of global problems of economic, cultural or humanitarian nature. In essence, the article outlines an additional role or purpose played by international relations aside from promoting global peace and that is addressing global economic challenges.

It can be argued that, the founders of the UN believed that countries relating peacefully with one another could easily work together to counter their common challenges, one of the most notorious being poverty and economic inequality among global states. The World Inequality Report as of 2022 portrayed a disparity in that the richest 10% of the global population owns over 76% of global wealth and the poorest half of the global population owns a meagre 2% of the global wealth cake. Staggering revelations at that.

In light of the figures above, it is clear that global states need to participate more in a unified effort of economic development. Some countries like the People’s Republic of China have through projects like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) undertaken efforts to give effect to, and realize article 3 of the UN charter. This year, as the initiative celebrates a decade of existence, it is imperative that an assessment of its achievements is briefly established.

The BRI, initiated in 2013 is a development initiative developed by China but belonging to the rest of the world as the white paper on the project released by Beijing’s State Council Information Office opines. It is actually believed to carry on the spirit of dynasty era China where maritime silk routes were developed opening up the East and West to each other under the guidance of Chinese Emperors.

As the maritime silk routes increased trade at the time, the BRI project was also expected and organized to facilitate trade, communication, culture among member countries with the hope of realizing global economic growth.

The BRI is founded on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits. It advocates win-win cooperation in pursuit of the greater good and shared interests. It emphasizes that all countries are equal participants, contributors and beneficiaries, and encourages economic integration, interconnected development, and the sharing of achievements.

The principle of extensive consultation implies that countries from across the economic development scale (low, high, middle) could all get an opportunity to participate in economization of the global community through bilateral or multilateral communication forums where all ideas of economic development are to be raised, debated upon and implemented where viable.

The principle of shared benefits underscores the importance of win-win cooperation. It aims to identify common interests and grounds for cooperation, meet the development needs of all parties, and address the real concerns of the people. This principle emphasizes sharing development opportunities and outcomes among all participating countries, ensuring that none of them is left behind.

As of today, the initiative comprised of more than 150 participant member countries from a number of global regions including Latin America, Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa (Uganda joining in 2018), Middle and Eastern Africa and with over 30 in Europe.

Beijing maintains that in pursuit of global economic development, the BRI theoretically operates through a triad of concepts namely the open, green, and clean co-operation concepts in that the openness refers to the initiative welcoming any global states interested in joint efforts to eradicate common problems, the green concept opining that development projects under the BRI are designed with a respect of the nature and environment through prioritizing low-carbon emitting development projects the clean co-operation concept outlining non-toleration of corruption from any member in respect of the project.

In a brief analysis of the achievements, the BRI prioritizes infrastructure development with a view to establish routes that connect members states as this is believed to facilitate trade, transportation thus boosting member state economies. In Africa, railways such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway are now operational and have become important drivers of in-depth development not only in East Africa but across the entire continent.

The Mombasa-Nairobi railway, the nation’s largest infrastructure project since Independence is as of 2023 reported to have transported a total of 28 million tonnes of goods since its opening in 2017, reportedly contributing a 2% growth to Kenya’s economy.

In Uganda, the country has successfully completed Entebbe Express which is under BRI projects. Other undertaken under BRI include the 99.8% complete Karuma Hydropower project and the nearly complete Entebbe international airport expansion.

In Western Africa, Nigeria’s maritime sector has also benefited from the BRI project due to the completed Lekki Deep-sea port that has since become a major and modern deep-water port not only for Nigeria but Central Africa as well.

Furthermore, trade between BRI member states is steadily on the rise in that between 2013-2022 the annual growth rate of such trade is recorded at 6.4% with the total value of exports and exports between China and other BRI for that period standing at 19.1 trillion.

Notable in this period is also the fact that the BRI project has facilitated educational co-operation among members states. For instance, China has opened over 300 Confucius Institutes in 132 member states, in addition to the Chinese Government Scholarship scheme through which over 200 Masters and Doctoral students from BRI partner states have been educated in the peaceful use of nuclear energy through the Atomic Energy Scholarship of China.

In conclusion, the BRI project despite repeated criticisms from majorly western powers as a new form of debt-trap for developing economies continues to be one of the most viable avenues through which intentional and systematic global economic development may be achieved and also prove that aside from maintaining global peace, solid international relations between global states can be a tool through which the common problem of economic inequality is addressed. At the turn of the project’s decade, the burden falls on Beijing to ensure continued mutual respect, communication and transparency among members states if the true goals and aims of the initiative are to be realized

Marvin Hannington Kalema is a Senior Research Fellow at the Development Watch Centre and a Law Student at University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

 

The 74th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China: Celebrations are in Order

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Moshi Israel

In 1949, then Chinese leader Mao Zedong declared the creation of the People’s Republic of China. A new era in China’s history begun under the stewardship of the Communist Party of China (CPC). A new kind of socialism with Chinese Characteristics took root. A new vision for a better China was still in its infancy and the building blocks were placed on top of one another, one by one. Fast forward, seventy-four years later, and the Peoples Republic of China is an entirely new country, with unprecedented development and a lot of potential for even more growth. The CPC revolutionized the thinking of the Chinese people, and placed them on a path of modernisation, that has been dubbed a miracle by many.

Several factors have contributed to China’s development, prominent among them being strategic government planning, service to the common people and rapid industrialization driven by a unique brand of political organization and mobilisation by the CPC. Opening up of China to the rest of the world put the Country on a healthy development path and by and large the CPC has managed to rid most Chinese of the colonial mindset that has held many developing countries back.

China today is a world giant that has put the rest of the world on a new agenda that emphasizes win-win partnerships, mutual benefits and peaceful development, with the aim of achieving a truly multipolar world. China has created the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that has taken the world by storm by increasing connectedness of the global trade routes with the aim of doing mutually beneficial business. Furthermore, the country has published several white papers laying out China’s vision on the Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). These initiatives, are China’s vision for a better world of today and tomorrow. They aim to achieve the ultimate Chinese ideals of cooperation and peaceful development.

During the celebrations of the 74th anniversary of the founding of China, organised by the Embassy of China in Uganda at Sheraton Hotel, I witnessed a profound display of China’s good will and respectful cooperation with our country – Uganda. There was a marvellous display of cultural fusion and a profound display of how Chinese people have adapted to the Ugandan scene. Both Chinese and Ugandans performed together cultural dances and songs that revealed to me how far our relations with China have come.

The speeches by China and Uganda’s government officials reflected on the already existing cooperation between the two countries and the potential for future engagements. China has proved to be a reliable partner to Uganda especially at a time when the latter is facing an impasse with western governments and their institutions. The issues of same sex relations and the construction of the EACOP pipeline has put Uganda at odds with western powers with the small African country courting the ire of powerful western regimes on grounds of ideological differences.

On a more positive note, the 74th celebrations of the founding of the PRC should serve to remind us of only the good times and encourage us to look further into the future when it comes to Uganda’s relations with China. Through trade and cultural cooperation, Uganda is already an established friend of China. The latter has taken steps to educate all developing countries on what it has been doing that has set it apart from other developing nations without following western models of development.

China is now among the leading countries in sustainable development issues, infrastructure development, trade and digital development. It is the duty of all countries seeking true independence and sustainable development to probe the ‘how and why?’. This is a point the deputy Ambassador, His Excellency Fan Xuencheng emphasized during his speech; China’s development under the Chinese context. That’s the mantra the Ugandan people should accommodate and practice.

As an African, I think there’s much we can learn from China’s development path and apply what we think can work for us. Perhaps, one can only hope that during the next anniversary of the founding of the PRC, that by that time, most of African countries will have taken the necessary steps to put their respective countries on a unique development path with African characteristics. Our Achilles heel lies is rampant corruption, a vice that our partners in China have fought vehemently and defeated.

The African mantra should be the undisputed theme of Adopting, Improvising and overcoming especially under current tensions with the west. Thank goodness, we have an ally like China to learn from.

Moshi Israel is a senior research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

 

 

 

CELEBRATING CHINA-AFRICA’s WIN-WIN RELATIONS AS PRC TURNS 74

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Steven Akabwayi

On Friday the 29th September, China started a week-long celebration dubbed the golden week. It is marked the 74th anniversary since Mao Zedong the chairman of the Communist Party of China (CPC) formally proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949.

Since then, relations between China and Africa have evolved considerably amidst the ideological struggle that culminated in the 1960s between the US, Russia, and China.

Though not strong ties as it is now, starting from the early 1980s, China has always placed great importance to relations with African countries. Arguably, at the start of the start of the millennia China’s relations with Africa and the rest of global south started growing at a speed never seen before.

China is currently Africa’s largest trading partner, experts observe that trade between the US and Africa has been declining over the past years, this has been largely attributed to China’s warm approach to Africa over the years.

The Sino-Africa relations were established based on a win-win philosophy, under this philosophy, China vowed to treat Africa with the spirit of sincerity, genuine cooperation, and mutual respect which has been a thread linking China and Africa for more than the past seven decades.

Western countries on the other hand have failed to recognize Africa as their equal resulting in unfair treatment and lack of mutual respect, the West still views Africa as a place of humanitarian crisis and a battleground for ideological competition between global powers. It is not a surprise that in May 2000, United Kingdom’s Magazine the Economist described Africa as a “Hopeless Continent.” Today, one can safely argue that with China’s win-win cooperation philosophy guided by President Xi Jinping’s promoted principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principles of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, China-Africa relations have seen the continent become the centre of attraction and that some western countries see it as a battle ground for the west and China.

Just like a famous internet meme reads, “When China is in Africa, it’s talking about trade but when the US is in Africa, it’s talking about China”.

Since its founding in 1949, the PRC’s role in Africa has defied and continued to expose Western-engineered stereotypes and fallacies that intend to blackmail China-Africa relations as a one-sided favor for China.

Beijing has continued to express itself as a long-established diplomatic partner and key investor in the African continent for the past 74 years.

In one of his interviews in 2022, Uganda’s president Kaguta Museveni demystified allegations commonly peddled by Western countries that Beijing expands its influence by drawing smaller economies into a debt trap.

“Africa has been having problems for the last 600 years due to the slave trade, colonialism, neocolonialism, and none of it was from China,” he said.

Since the 1960s, Uganda and China have enjoyed deep and sound diplomatic relations, the two countries are glued together by strong economic relations which have been significantly bolstered by the Belt and Road Initiative in the past decade increasing trade between the two countries to about a billion USD.

President Museveni further hailed China for having maintained tight coordination and collaboration with Uganda for over 60 years through numerous joint projects.

China has invested in all major sectors that are critical for Africa’s economic transformation and integration drive.

Chinese investments in Africa encompass infrastructure development such as roads notably the Entebbe- Kampala express highway in Uganda, the Railway line connecting Adis Ababa and Djibouti, the Mombasa -Nairobi standard gauge railway, Karuma dam in Uganda, telecommunication networks among other infrastructures.

These projects have paved the way for years of commercial and economic engagements throughout the continent.

Chinese state-owned agencies and financing institutions have always acted as a friend in need for African countries by supplying soft loans to African countries on critical projects that require heavy funding that cannot not contained in most African countries’ national budgets.

After most Western financing institutions recently pulling out from funding the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) whose plan is to transport crude oil from the Albertine region to the Indian Ocean, a Chinese company stepped in to save the project.

Mrs Irene Bateebe permanent secretary under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in Uganda confirmed that Sinosure, the Chinese state-owned provider of export credit insurance is working with Exim Bank to provide the largest funding for the pipeline.

As one way of ensuring food security in Uganda, China has supported agricultural projects geared towards agricultural modernization. Under the FOA-China Uganda South-South Corporation Project, Uganda’s agriculture ministry has been supported in quality seed breeding and cultivation of a variety of quality seeds such as rice, sorghum, maize among others. These have been availed to various districts to support smallholder farmers.

As China aims at a multipolar world and reform of global governance as opposed to America’s hegemony, Beijing has found it necessary to maintain developing countries as a bedrock and strategic focus of its foreign policy until the existing capability gap between third-world and developed nations is narrowed.

China has recently also shown unrivaled support for the African Continental Free Trade Area and AU’s accession to the G20 by pressuring Western countries that dominated the club.

China’s foreign policy to Africa has won the hearts of many African leaders given its nonexpansionist and conflict-averse approach. This has enabled it to foster a community based on cooperative security, common development, and political inclusiveness for the past decades since its founding.

For years, China has developed solid ties with African governments, this is demonstrated by the quality and number of high-level exchange visits, and support China receives from African countries at the United Nations and other international forums.

Steven Akabwayi is a Research Fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

 

An African Perspective on the CPC’s Concept of Whole Process People’s Democracy

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Moshi Israel

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has served the people of China for several decades with utmost effectiveness that should be admired everywhere. The success of the CPC is not a mere fluke, considering the complexity of China’s history and national realities. China with more than a millennium of history has had to endure civil wars and power struggles from different dynasties that exposed the common people to untold suffering. The opium wars and Western colonialism also left the once-great civilization of China on the brink of collapse. The CPC pulled China from the jaws of destruction and put the country on a path to unprecedented prosperity and success.

The People’s Republic of China is a vast country with a huge population and a diversity of cultures and ethnicities. To govern such a country, a certain political acumen and tact is required and the CPC under the leadership of President Xi has proved itself a very capable candidate to map China’s development well into the future.

President Xi introduced the concept of whole process people’s democracy back in 2012 and elaborated it as true democracy that addresses the people’s concerns and is characterised by the people’s participation in all state’s social, cultural, and economic affairs. This type of democracy is ‘whole process’ because the people engage in democratic elections, consultations, management, decision-making, and oversight in accordance with the constitution. On the other hand, it is the people’s democracy because China’s constitution labels the people as masters of the country.

The National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) work closely with and hold two sessions in which they deliberate on the governance of the state with the people’s interests in consideration. These national bodies collaborate closely with elected grassroots officials to address issues of concern for every citizen. These grassroots committees run from the village, town, and city to the provincial level. Through them, the common person’s concerns are able to reach the highest level of the Chinese government. Moreover, the CPC despite being the dominant party of choice for most Chinese people, still works closely with a number of other political parties in China.

China has demonstrated that whereas every country should aspire to be democratic, the concept of democracy varies from one country to the next depending on their national context. Not every country is suited to the Western style of democracy. Aspects of culture, geography, history, demographics, and economics play a vital role in determining what sort of democracy a country will be. Centuries of the forced and failed Western way of democracy across the world indicate that perhaps everyone cannot be the same and being different is okay. From ancient Greece; the bedrock of democracy to Britain and the United States, democracy has come in different forms for all of these countries.

China, under the CPC, has clearly shown that democracy is not a mere jargon to be thrown around aimlessly, rather, democracy should be practiced and its results seen. China has achieved this by elevating over half of a billion people out of absolute poverty and putting China on a modernization path so effective, it has been dubbed a ‘miracle.’ Furthermore, China’s concept of democracy extends across two fronts; the domestic and the international arenas. Domestically, China has grown exponentially. On the international stage, China has spread the gospel of whole process people’s democracy with a unique Chinese socialism.

China, unlike the West, believes in and practices the concepts of mutual benefit, shared prosperity, and win-win partnerships with its international partners. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, the country has established good relations with others across the world.

African countries, as beneficiaries of China’s growth through the latter’s application of its democratic concepts on the international stage, should proactively seek to develop their own people-centered and development-oriented democratic structures. This should be based on each country’s national realities. Besides, China has always learned from other developed countries and altered these lessons to fit its national context.

Otherwise, the CPC with President Xi Jinping at the helm has produced amazing results by strategically choosing to put the development of Chinese people at the forefront. Rightly so, democracy should indeed be structured around people’s happiness. Elections and a thousand political parties do not mean much if the people are starving and underdeveloped.

Therefore, every Ugandan and every African should be asking their leaders, what sort of democracy they think they are engaging in if the people’s happiness is not a core priority. With China, we can see that political theory should be backed by strategic and patriotic practices centered on common prosperity and the right to development.

The Writer is a Senior Research Fellow at Development Watch Center.

 

Medical Diplomacy: China is Building a Community of Shared Prosperity for Mankind

Posted on By Sino Uganda Research Centre

By Dr. Ham Wasswa Matovu

Last week, a team of Ugandan medical experts from district hospitals arrived in Beijing China. Funded by the Chinese government, the team will spend three weeks in China at one of the country’s top Universities, Tsinghua University to attend a Seminar on Health Care and Public Health.  This will boost their public health knowledge and health systems management so as to be able to make a tangible contribution when they return home.

Aware that China is one of few developing countries with a robust and well-functioning health system in the world, there is no doubt that the seminar will equip of medical team with the much-needed expertise and experience which will in turn help contribute in strengthening Uganda’s health sector. Through on his X account (formerly twitter,) Chinese Ambassador to Uganda His Excellency Zhang Lizhong explained that Uganda’s team in Beijing for the seminar under the arrangement of medical cooperation adding that; “delighted to see China-Uganda health communication & cooperation deepening through closer people-to-people exchanges.”

Studies indicate that despite some progress in addressing health sector challenges, African countries still face challenges among others limited training. A 2022 study published in the British Medical Journal Global Health which surveyed 47 African countries stressed the lack of refresher courses as a major challenge facing the health sector in the region. The study entitled “the health workforce status in the WHO African Region: findings of a cross-sectional study,” revealed that the region’s ratio of well-trained health workers is 1.55 per 1000 people which is below the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended 4.45 health personnel per 10000 people.

The continent’s health sector challenges are a result of many factors among others inadequate or no training capacity, rapid population growth, weak governance of the health workforce, career changes and poor retention of health worker. In 2022, the WHO projected that the shortage of well-trained health personnel in Africa will grow to 6,100,000 by the year 2030 which is increment of about 45% if compared with figures of 2013 when the last projections were made.

The study; “the health workforce status in the WHO African Region: findings of a cross-sectional study,” recommended that to address these challenges, African countries must put up measures meant to boost training and recruitment of health workers, improve their deployment and retention and increase investments for building respective country’s health workforce to meet their current and future needs.

Reflecting on the above, one can only conclude that such trainings are needed our health sector to grow. China has a rich experience in this field. The country has had several reforms in their medical sector which has seen them become one of few countries with a robust functioning healthcare system and consequently significantly increased their life expectancy which is expected to even get better by the year 2035.

In 2007 for example, China embarked on planning another reform. In 2009, in consultation with the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, on 6th April 2009, China’s State Council passed China’s Health Care Reform Plan promising to provide a universal primary health service to then country’s 1.3 billion people with the main being “everyone to enjoy basic health care services. Under this health care reform plan, it is the Government’s responsibility to build a safe, effective, convenient and inexpensive health care system covering both urban and rural residents.

Its major aim was universal health coverage by 2020 through strengthening health care delivery, health security and provision of essential medicines. This policy reform is a long-term endeavor but the returns are worth the investments. In 2022, China listed other key tasks for healthcare reforms major among them being the development of a multi-tiered insurance system.

In order to get the job done, the state council set up a state council health systems reform office where the activities of the reform would be coordinated. The following were the policy reforms.

Under social health security, the social health insurance package was extended, medical aid was extended to the eligible poor and those with catastrophic medical expenditure. The payment system was also reformed. Through this, 95% of the population has been covered by health insurance schemes by the end of 2017 and the so-called catastrophic health insurance introduced in all provinces.

Such a system in Uganda would reduce the burden of out of the pocket health expenditure and reduce suffering of many that find it hard to meet medical bills.

Today, China is implementing Healthy China 2030. The “Healthy China 2030” blueprint, was introduced by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council, and it includes 29 chapters that cover key areas that focus on areas like public health services, environment management, the medical industry, and food and drug safety. The Primary goal of “healthy China 2030 is ‘all for Health” while its long-term goal is a universal health security system for China.

Important to note is that “Healthy China 2030” emphases disease prevention and encouraging people to adopt healthy lifestyles, improving the public health service system with aim of ensuring that ordinary residents will have their medical problems diagnosed earlier and so get timely treatment. Lastly, China wants to increase its citizens’ average life expectancy up from 76.34 recorded for 2015, to 77.3 by 2020 and 81 by 2035.

Aware that China is a developing country but has managed to achieve that much, even when it is quite challenging for the African setting, we ought to start on our own reforms. Like the Chinese say, a journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step. For Uganda, the journey should start with these training opportunities China is extending to Ugandan health workers through China-Uganda health communication & cooperation so that together, we continue efforts of building a community of shared for future for mankind in the new era of win-win cooperation.

Ham Wasswa Matovu is a medical doctor and research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.