Recently, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo wondered why the West asks him about ‘Africa’s new colonial master,’ China. As he wonders, everybody, too, wonders.  How China can be Africa’s new colonial master. Just because China has invested a fraction of its money in Africa?

Statistically speaking, America is taking a lion share when it comes to China’s foreign investment. For example, in 2012, China invested heavily in the US. “Some of the biggest transactions to have transpired this year in North America include the impending $15.1 billion CNOOC - Nexen deal, and Dalian Wanda’s $2.6 billion acquisition of AMC Entertainment,” Firmex. According to Firmex, the US ranks second with the chunk of 42 billion dollars after Australia with a 45.2 billion dollar investment. When it comes to Africa, only one country, Nigeria, features in with 18.8 billion dollar investment.

The Washington post of January 30, 2013 had this to say regarding the increase in Sino-America investment: “Chinese companies invested $6.5 billion in the United States last year. That’s a record and a 17 percent increase over the prior year, according to data assembled by the Rhodium Group.” This is not easy money. It is a fortune no sane person would turn down.

Although the West is trying to discourage Africa from taking up the opportunity to do business with China, African leaders and policy makers need to take this challenge and turn it into a tool for an economic takeoff. Instead of worrying and regretting, Africa needs to learn from past mistake in the relationship with her former colonial masters.

It’s upon Africa to put her house in order. Instead of worrying and feeling doomed; African countries should put good policies in place to benefit from neo-Sino-African partnership. Yeah. If Africa repeats past mistakes, China’s likely to become a new colonial master. Africa has immense resources that China and the West need. Africa needs to competitively take part in this new world order where markets lead politics instead of politics leading the economy and commerce.If anything, had the US shied away or feared that China would become its colonial master, US’s economy would have been in a bigger quandary than it is now. The US didn’t only acclaim investments from China. It also took multi-billion loans from China. If the US could do this, why shouldn’t Africa? If investing in the country is colonialism, well, China is America’s new colonial master. When the 2008 capital crunch in the US started biting, the US courted China to invest in its economy regardless of their traditional political and economic differences. Why should Africa worry?

When it comes to Sino-African relationship, worries are about corruption, lack of sound policy, and rent-seeking-endemic in the ranks. Former Chinese president Hu Jintao once said, “The Chinese and African peoples have always treated each other as equals... we will... forever be a good friend, good partner and good brother of the African people.” Instead of being equal politically, Africa needs to create a conducive environment that makes us equal partners economically.

Essentially, business is a profit-making game.  What is required is edge. Africa must take the challenge and utilize it for her benefit. Africa must improve her laws that govern contracts and business. Substandard items shouldn’t be allowed in Africa. Resource depredation should be addressed seriously. Currently, Asia’s money’s created poaching problems for many African countries. Many elephants and rhinos have been decimated. Such sorts of things must be dealt with to avoid turning Africa into another loser.

In sum, when it comes to the fear of the dangers of Sino-Africa relationship, I fear African corrupt regimes more than China. If self-serving, greed, myopia and unpreparedness go on unabated, Sino-Africa relationship can become a curse in lieu of blessing. If African leaders go on with their monkey business as usual, differently from the US, China’s likely to become Africa’s neo-colonial master as the west has always aspired to remain.

By Nkwazi Mhango

The author [email protected] is a Canada-based Tanzanian and author of Saa ya Ukombozi.