When China met Africa: Storyville
Storyville’s recent documentary, When China met Africa, exposes China’s increasing investment and business involvement in the continent. Focus is particularly shifted onto Zambia, where the developments of Sino-Zambian relations are tracked through the first-hand perspective of three individuals. The documentary provides no commentary or narration, which suggests that the viewer can draw their own conclusions; but the editor has clearly chosen his material to project a certain image. This image appears to be that, although their relationship continues to progress, the Chinese government and Chinese settlers need to give more back to Africa who, in turn, needs to value its own self-worth and demand greater returns.
To provide a rough background to the events of the program it begins by making the following statement:
‘Despite decades of Western influence and aid, Africa still remains the poorest continent in the world. In recent years African governments have been welcoming billions of dollars of loans and investment from China. Africa is now a major destination for thousands of Chinese companies and entrepreneurs looking for natural resources, markets and new opportunities’
For centuries the West exploited both the African land and its people. Since the end of decolonisation in the 1960s, however, it seems to have dedicated itself to providing Africa with the aid and support needed for it to keep up with modern worldwide developments in, amongst other things, technology, culture and the economy. The declaration above would suggest that the West has not done enough and so Africa needs to look further afield.
At the China-Africa summit held in Beijing in 2006, a Chinese representative stated that ‘China will remain a close friend, reliable partner and good brother of Africa’. On the surface then, relations seem to be fair and successful.
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