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Comment by Dah00n | Hacker News Reader

I can't say which outcome will be better but I do personally like China's way of buying their way in with money, roads, etc. better than the "old way" with selling guns to rebels, using CIA agents etc. I wish both would stop meddling in Africa though. Such a horrific history of greed. I'm curious how you see the difference though?

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Small correction... China’s belt & road initiative is more about lending than buying.

It’s more nuanced than that. They lend, sure, but the terms often involve them flying in their own labor force from the mainland to do the building - with Chinese materials of course - meaning they have basically no skin in the game. Then, when the host country defaults on its obligations the PRC owns the infrastructure they built, and leverage their largesse to hold onto the infrastructure until it makes sense, or incorporate it into new plans. The southern port in Sri Lanka, Hambatonta. [1]

> “John Adams said infamously that a way to subjugate a country is through either the sword or debt. China has chosen the latter,” said Brahma Chellaney, an analyst who often advises the Indian government and is affiliated with the Center for Policy Research, a think tank in New Delhi.

Careful not to underestimate the PRC.

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/world/asia/china-sri-lank...

I work with some UN and Bretton Woods institutions lending money to Africa and I can tell you that IMF/WB are also lending us money. They take "your hard earned savings" and come in here and invest her so that they can make future profits and grow the saving funds. If USA give you his money, as head of state you need to understand that it is not for the joy of it but that money need to yield interest or you will be toppled. This is not your money, it's American Savings! China is doing the same, just blatantly and with the bashing for the west.

[We] see you two .

Economic hitmen make regular hitman numbers look pathetic, both in lives and money.

I was raised and taught to think in a liberal way. The American way. That America guarantee the free trade of goods and "American peace" (with toppling governments it doesn't want!) and no other country needs to build huge armies as long as they follow the "American rule of law". This has led to a long period of "worldwide peace" ( No peace thaugh! since American's president didn't bother to lift his finger to stop my ancestors being slaughtered because... we are not strategic!).

Then Trump passed by and showed "us" that really, American needs to think about itself beforehand. like build its crumbling highways before coming to build Africa highways in order to counter China.

Now I see China has lifted more than 700M peoples out of poverty without firing a single shot and not interfering blatantly in our politics ( Well... lol. They provided arms to all the warring factions in my country... they let us fight, because we were stupid.).

And more importantly China tells me it has a new order where countries [Westerners that have been colonizing us... Seen French colonies?] respect sovereignty of each other and has money to build me highways in exchange of raw materials and stuff [it is recycling the surplus of USD gained trading with USA!!!].

And I might have a say in the new order.

So what do you think I might chose ? As an African citizen ?

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