祖马对非洲与中国的关系发出警告
https://www.ft.com/content/33686fc4-d171-11e1-bbbc-00144feabdc0
2012 年 7 月 19 日
南非总统雅各布·祖马警告说，非洲与中国迅速发展的贸易关系的不平衡性从长远来看是“不可持续的”。
在这位南非领导人在北京举行的中非论坛上发表讲话之前，中国国家主席承诺向非洲提供200亿美元的贷款，是北京三年前在同一论坛上同意向非洲提供的贷款金额的两倍。
祖马先生表示：“非洲对中国发展的承诺已通过原材料、其他产品的供应和技术转让得到体现。” “从长远来看，这种贸易模式是不可持续的。 非洲过去与欧洲的经济经验表明，在与其他经济体建立伙伴关系时需要谨慎。”
祖马先生似乎指的是一些非洲国家对贸易关系不平衡性质的担忧。 去年中非双向贸易额达到1660亿美元，由于原油和铜等原材料的出口，非洲实现了贸易顺差。 中国是向非洲出口电子产品和服装等廉价制成品的主要出口国。
批评者指责中国对非洲大陆采取新殖民主义做法并剥削非洲的自然资源。 许多非洲国家希望中国进口的不仅仅是资源。
中国将非洲视为战略盟友，推动非洲在联合国发挥更大作用，同时鼓励中国基础设施和资源公司到非洲投资。
中国在非洲的投资（过去十年估计达 150 亿美元）正在迅速增长，中国企业正在整个非洲大陆建设基础设施，从水坝、机场到矿山和风电场。 周三，尼日利亚宣布签署一项价值 15 亿美元的铁路项目，该项目将由国有的中国土木工程建设集团公司承建。
虽然祖马暗示了潜在的长期贸易问题，但在中国国家主席胡锦涛在场的情况下，祖马在讲话中用了大部分时间赞扬中国对非洲的“坚定”承诺。 祖马表示：“中国对非洲的承诺已经以具体和切实的成果得到体现，特别是在人力资源开发、债务减免和投资方面。”
两国关系密切。 南非也吸引了大量中国投资，因为它寻求将自己打造成通往其他非洲国家的门户。
中国本周推出了多项措施来帮助重新平衡贸易关系，包括对更多非洲产品实行零关税。 北京还承诺举办更多贸易博览会来展示非洲商品。
尽管中国企业在非洲投入巨资，但他们的日子并不总是一帆风顺。 他们在非洲的最低谷之一是2010年，当时赞比亚的一名中国矿业老板在一场骚乱中枪杀了近十几名当地矿工。
中国企业也陷入了最近北非政治变革的漩涡中，今年早些时候，穆阿迈尔·卡扎菲上校倒台以及29名中国工人在苏丹南部被绑架后，价值超过40亿美元的利比亚项目被暂停。
中非论坛每三年举办一次，有40多个非洲国家的元首和部长出席，用中国官方报纸的话说，这是“中非友谊团结的盛会”。
除了未来三年提供200亿美元贷款的承诺外，中国还承诺重点关注农业、基础设施、文化交流等领域的合作，并为非洲学生来华留学提供更多奖学金。 中国学者表示，中国对非洲的援助不是唯利是图，而是出于历史纽带。
“在非洲国家的帮助下，中国重新获得了在联合国的席位，”上海非洲研究所非洲问题专家张海滨表示。 “我们不能忘记我们的老朋友。”
从北京人民大会堂举行的盛况和仪式来看，周四的情况确实如此。 一向冷静的胡锦涛在周四上午的论坛上发表了热情洋溢的欢迎辞。
“我们永远是非洲的好朋友、好伙伴、好兄弟……我们衷心感谢非洲人民对中国发展的支持。”
Gwen Chen 在北京和 Andrew England 在约翰内斯堡的补充报道
Zuma warns on Africa's ties to China
https://www.ft.com/content/33686fc4-d171-11e1-bbbc-00144feabdc0
JULY 19 2012
Jacob Zuma, the South African president, has warned that the unbalanced nature of Africa’s burgeoning trade ties with China is “unsustainable” in the long term.
The South African leader was speaking to the China-Africa Forum in Beijing just after China’s president pledged $20bn in loans to Africa, doubling the amount Beijing agreed to give Africa three years ago at the same forum.
“Africa’s commitment to China’s development has been demonstrated by supply of raw materials, other products and technology transfer,” Mr Zuma said. “This trade pattern is unsustainable in the long term. Africa’s past economic experience with Europe dictates a need to be cautious when entering into partnerships with other economies.”
Mr Zuma appeared to be referring to the concerns of some African nations about the unbalanced nature of the trade relationship. Two-way trade between China and Africa hit $166bn last year, with a trade surplus in Africa’s favour due to exports of raw materials such as crude oil and copper. China is a major exporter of cheap manufactured goods to Africa, such as electronics and clothes.
Critics have accused China of taking a neocolonialist approach to the continent and of exploiting Africa’s natural resources. Many African nations want China to import more than just resources.
China sees Africa as a strategic ally and has pushed for greater African roles at the UN, while encouraging Chinese infrastructure and resources companies to invest in the continent.
China’s investment in Africa – estimated at $15bn over the past decade – is growing rapidly and Chinese companies are building infrastructure across the continent, from dams and airports to mines and wind farms. On Wednesday, Nigeria announced the signing of a $1.5bn railroad project to be built by the state-owned China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation.
While he hinted at potential long-term trade issues, Mr Zuma spent much of his speech, which was made in the presence of Hu Jintao, China’s president, praising China’s “steadfast” commitment to Africa. “China’s commitment to Africa has already been demonstrated with concrete and tangible results particularly in terms of human resources development, debt relief and investment,” Mr Zuma said.
The two nations have close ties. South Africa has also attracted significant Chinese investment as it seeks to market itself as the gateway to other African countries.
China introduced several measures this week to help rebalance trade ties, including zero tariffs for an expanded range of African products. Beijing also pledged to hold more trade expos to display African merchandise.
While Chinese companies have invested heavily in Africa, they have not always had a smooth time. One of the low points for them in Africa came in 2010 when a Chinese mining boss in Zambia shot nearly a dozen local miners during a riot.
Chinese companies have also been caught up in the recent maelstrom of political changes in north Africa, with more than $4bn worth of projects suspended in Libya after the fall of Colonel Muammer Gaddafi and the kidnapping of 29 Chinese workers in Southern Sudan earlier this year.
The China-Africa Forum, held once every three years, hosts heads of state and ministers from more than 40 African countries, and is a “pageant of China-Africa friendship and unity”, as one Chinese state-run paper put it.
In addition to the $20bn loan commitment over the next three years, China also vowed to focus on co-operation in agriculture, infrastructure, cultural exchanges and more scholarships for African students to study in China. Chinese scholars say China’s aid to Africa is not mercenary, but instead motivated by historic ties.
“China regained its seat in the United Nations with the help of African countries,” says Zhang Haibin, an Africa expert at the Shanghai Institute for African Studies. “We cannot forget our old friends.”
This certainly seemed to be the case on Thursday judging from the pomp and ceremony on display at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The normally stoic Mr Hu was effusive in his welcoming speech to the forum on Thursday morning.
“Forever we will be the good friends, partners and brothers of Africa …We deeply thank the men and women of Africa for their support of China in its development.”
Additional reporting by Gwen Chen in Beijing and Andrew England in Johannesburg
