Emma Emeozor, [email protected]
On Tuesday, Tanzania sentenced a Chinese woman to 15 years in prison for smuggling about 800 elephant tusks. Yang Fenlan, 69, was described as the mastermind of one of Africa’s biggest ivory trafficking networks “responsible for smuggling $2.5 million (£1.9m) worth of tusks from some 400 elephants.”
Fenlan’s case was one of the many illegal exploitation of the natural resources of Africa by Chinese nationals. Her case stands out as it reveals that highly placed Chinese, who should lead by example, are also involved in the socio-economic rape of Africa.
Fenlan was “a prominent businesswoman, operating a Chinese restaurant as well as an investment company in Dar es Salaam. Fluent in Swahili, she had lived and worked in Tanzania since the 1970s, and had served as vice-president of the China-Africa Business Council of Tanzania,” reports said.
It should be of concern to both African and the Chinese governments that a woman of the status of Fenlan was in Africa to carry out high-profile criminal activities. China’s presence in Africa is generally regarded as a blessing, considering the negative impact the Africa-Euro ties had on the continent. But now, it seem China’s friendship might become a curse on the people as the Chinese try to impoverish the continent through smuggling of its natural resources. In July, 2017, 31 Chinese were arrested in Zambia on allegations of illegal copper mining.
Also, last year, two trawlers belonging to a Chinese company, Lian Run, were involved in illegal fishing off the coast of Guinea. Guinean authorities said the trawlers were in “possession of shark fins without the body, a practice prohibited under Guinean law.”
According to Fairplanet report, “every year, Africa loses an approximate $17 billion to illegal logging activities . . . with China at the heart of this trade.” Chinese traders have been accused of exploiting the African rosewood in Benin, Gambia and Nigeria.
The Chinese moved to Nigeria after there were no more of the trees in Benin and Gambia. The rosewood is one of the most endangered species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), according to the report.
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reportedly said in 2017, “1.4 million illegally harvested logs in Nigeria with a market value of $300 million were laundered into China.” Chinese are involved in illegal fishing in African waters, deforestation, mining (extractive industry), oil exploration, wild life and piracy, especially in the entertainment industry. Experts say Africa is losing over $2 billion annually to illegal fishing in its waters.
Today, there is hardly an African country where the illegal economic activities of Chinese nationals have not been recorded. They invade the forests, farmlands and mines without permits. They violate with impunity the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which bars foreign fleets from entry into the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of a sovereign nation, which is 200 nautical miles from the coast of a country. They deploy their trawlers into the EEZ at odd times when they know they will not be caught. But when they are caught in one country, they relocate to another country.
Beijing has always insisted that it is committed to the development and growth of the African continent devoid of any pecuniary interest. The government may be sincere. Indeed, it has at various times demonstrated that it abhors the illegal operations of its citizens in Africa by imposing sanctions on companies found to have jettisoned best international practices.
Even then, the companies and individuals who are profiting from illegal business operations in Africa are not relenting. Of course, they are not operating in isolation. They act in collusion with African officials holding key positions in government, businessmen, and those who want to escape the scourge of hunger and poverty by all means. According to EIA, “more than $1 million in bribes was paid to Nigerian government officials” by Chinese who illegally harvest logs in the country.
Since China became a major player in African affairs, it has given tremendous support to African countries and institutions, including the African Union and other sub-regional economic organisations. In addition to offering financial assistance to Africa, China has been active in the area of infrastructural development across the continent.
But that support is being eroded by the endless assault on the economy of the continent by the destructive battalions of Chinese who regard Africa as their ‘garden.’ Without exaggerating, the monetary value of the wealth of Africa being carted away illegally by Chinese surpasses the financial support the continent is receiving from Beijing.
The Europeans plundered Africa and rendered the people helpless economically. The thinking was that the end of colonialism would bring to a halt the exploitation of the natural resources of the countries of the continent. Now, this thinking is being proved wrong following the invasion of the continent by the Chinese.
Africa seems to have returned to the era of colonialism, this time with the people being at the mercy of their Chinese friends. There have been cases of the use of brute force on Africans by their Chinese employers. Also, there are reports of Chinese inducing ‘hungry’ Africans to collaborate with them in their illegal businesses.
Some analysts have described the emergence of China in Africa as the “new colonialism” even though Beijing has repeatedly denied the allegation. At the international level, China’s generosity to Africa has made Europe and America suspicious of its true intentions in Africa.
The West strongly believes China is on a mission to colonise and exploit Africa just as it sees China as a potential threat to its ‘fortunes’ in the continent. It has since launched a propaganda war to put a wedge between Africa and China. The West has repeatedly cautioned African leaders to be wary of Beijing’s ‘courtship.’ Today, there is a new scramble for Africa.
But the atrocities committed by the Europeans are still fresh in the memory of Africans. From North to South, West to East, there is no country that was not ‘maimed’ by the Europeans.
China’s entry into Africa was a welcome development because it provided the governments an alternative.
China was a member of the Third World family until it became an industrialised global economic player. This made the country more appealing to Africa. The thinking was that China would be a safe haven for Africa. Now it is hard to spot the difference between the Chinese and the Europeans.
All over the continent, there is a hullabaloo about Chinese exploitative tendency. In many of the countries, the villagers have been seen protesting the illegal entry of their farms by Chinese. In other cases, factory workers have staged protests over exploitation by their Chinese employers. Yet, they (Chinese) seem unrepentant. They do not pretend to show that they are superior to Africans, in the same manner the Europeans did.
African elite have expressed worry over the relationship against the backdrop of the on-going flagrant exploitation of the people. Indeed, a cross-section of the elite are of the opinion that China’s interest in the continent is informed by the desire have an assured source of natural resources to buoy its industries.
They want a review of the current pattern of ties between China and Africa such that Africa will not fall a victim to colonialism again. Except concrete measures are put in place to halt the illegal activities of the Chinese, Africa may become a continent in chains in the hands of China.
Beijing must intensify its effort at dealing effectively with the situation. There is need for the Chinese authorities to reach out to its citizens, creating awareness on the danger of targeting Africa’s natural resources for the purpose of exploitation.
More punitive measures should be put in place while those found guilty are dealt with accordingly. Unconfirmed reports say some of the Chinese involve in the violation of the laws in Africa escape justice once they arrive in China. They are protected by some corrupt officials who benefit from their illicit wealth.
Whatever steps the Chinese government would take depend on how serious African leaders are in dealing with the appalling situation. Unfortunately, African leaders have not been able to call Beijing to order and that is because they have become ‘Oliver Twist,’ always begging for more loans.
There are China-Africa fora where the problems could be discussed with the seriousness they deserve and solutions proffered. African leaders must take up the challenge of protecting the wealth of the continent and in the process save the lives of the people who are dying from hunger and poverty. It is sordid that a continent naturally blessed has remained underdeveloped even in the 21 st century due to the failure of political leaders. For now, the illegal activities of the Chinese in Africa pose a potent danger to Africa-China relations.