China displaces French Colonial Power in Africa

The IHT reports that France's residual influence in its former colonies in Chad and throughout Africa is being replaced by Chinese interests. This is a somewhat surprising development because the French worked diligently for decades to prevent perceived American hegemony. The Chinese, on the other hand, have moved in largely under the radar and have shown a disturbing willingness to cooperate with local warlords in order to ensure access to natural resources.

In one sense, the Chinese role in supplanting French interests reflects a growing awareness by the West that outside interventions are ultimately of only minimal value in fostering the kinds of free and open society's that can grow organically without relying solely on extracting mineral resources and heavy foreign investment. Despite enormous humanitarian efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, Africa remains an international basket case. Despite cumulative investments from the West totalling more than $1 trillion over the past half-century, Africa has been unable to show sustained progress.

Unfortunately for Africa, the Chinese influence that is replacing traditional Western powers is largely a reflection of a desire for access to natural resources. Because the Chinese notion of soft power rather conspicuously excludes any encouragement to improve local institutions, the despots and kleptocracies that have taken root in Africa will not be dislodged by outside influence. In particular, American attempts to discourage corruption and demand accountability have already been thwarted by Chinese money that comes without those onerous restrictions.

Chinese hegemony is obviously good for the Chinese, but Chad and other African countries will not be helped by an international environment that allows them to sink or swim on the basis of their own decisions.