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International Herald Leader: China Distrusted for Its Work in Africa

The International Herald Leader, a newspaper under the auspices of Xinhua, published a commentary on October 13, 2009, debunking the Western claim that China practices “neocolonialism in Africa because of its need for natural resources.”

The article stated that the Western media portrays China as a new colonialist, a “destroyer” (using cheap made-in-China goods and workers flown from China to destroy Africa’s traditional economy), and a spreader of hatred to encourage and support ethnic group cleansing. Additionally, it accused Western companies of colluding with local rebel groups because of wanting to profiteer from natural resources and block China from entering the market. It declared that China’s presence in Africa brings economic growth to Africa, which unfortunately takes years for people to realize.

According to a report from the Ministry of Commerce, there are more than 800 Chinese companies and nearly 1 million Chinese workers in Africa. They are mainly employed in infrastructure industries, such as construction and oil extraction.

Source: International Herald Leader, October 13, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2009-10/13/content_12221552.htm