In recent years, with the continuous development of China-Africa relations, China-Africa cooperation has continued to develop towards all-round, multi-level and high-quality development, and has been at the forefront of international cooperation with Africa. However, some Western politicians and media who are keen to spread rumors about China cannot sit still, in addition to smearing China's "debt trap" against Africa and promoting "neocolonialism", "China's monopoly on African green minerals" has become a big lie they spread.
As one of the world's four major mining conferences, the 2023 African Mining Investment Conference was recently held in Cape Town, South Africa. At the meeting, participants repeatedly stressed the importance of Africa's mineral resources, especially "green minerals", to global development. However, when Chinese mining enterprises proposed "developing mining and benefiting society" and "mining globalization and economic globalization are of equal significance", American participants and some media were hyping topics such as "China's monopoly on important minerals in Africa" and "China threatens the supply chain of key minerals in the United States". U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Fernandez alluded to China, "I don't need to remind you what happens when supply chains collapse or when we rely on a single supplier." The US media mentioned that in order to ensure that it does not rely on China in the field of key minerals, the United States has also tried to unite the European Union and other G7 members to form a "key minerals buyers' club".
Is China really "monopolizing important African minerals" and "threatening the supply chain of key minerals in the United States" in Africa, as the United States claims? What is the truth?
On December 4, 2015, the Chinese government published China's Policy Paper on Africa in Johannesburg. In terms of deepening cooperation in resources and energy, the document points out that in line with the principles of win-win cooperation, green, low-carbon and sustainable development, expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa in the field of resources and energy, help African countries strengthen their resource and energy exploration, development and processing capabilities, increase the added value of primary products, increase local employment and foreign exchange earnings, and transform resource and energy endowments into sustainable development and people's livelihood. Innovate the China-Africa resource and energy cooperation model, and expand the cooperation of the whole industrial chain in the field of energy and minerals. Support the construction of power grids in African countries and regions, promote cooperation in the development of renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydropower and low-carbon green energy, promote the rational development and utilization of renewable energy in Africa, and serve Africa's industrialization.
In fact, China has always done so in deepening resource and energy cooperation with African countries. China's cooperation with Africa is pragmatic, open and transparent, whether in infrastructure, agriculture, industry and energy. Over the years, the projects built by Chinese enterprises in Nigeria, including railways, light rail, terminals and ports, have made great contributions to Nepal's continued status as Africa's largest economy, said Sidney, Senior Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Industry, Trade and Investment.
Africa's Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has huge reserves of mineral resources, but the infrastructure is backward, the degree of industry is low, etc., after the Chinese-funded mining enterprises settled, self-financing for the DRC (DRC) to carry out infrastructure construction, create jobs and achieve profit dividends. Chinese mining enterprises have also brought rich experience, not only adopting clean production processes in technical solutions for mine construction and production, but also advocating sustainable development. Duar, who is familiar with the development of African mining, said in an interview that Guinea has abundant bauxite resources and ranks first in the world in proven reserves, but it has not been effectively developed for a long time due to factors such as technology and capital. In recent years, Chinese enterprises have helped Guinea solve problems such as mining water and electricity consumption, providing a fundamental guarantee for the development of the local mining industry. The list goes on.
And what are the United States and its Western allies, keen to smear and attack non-cooperation, doing on Africa's mineral resources?
When key minerals such as cobalt, copper and lithium were favored, these Western countries called China-Africa mining cooperation the "deal of the century," or accused some African leaders of "handing over the right to develop national minerals to China in exchange for infrastructure projects," or falsely claiming that China "takes advantage of cheap labor there and is virtually unregulated."
"All you get is destroyed mines, broken roads," said Sidney, senior special adviser to the Nigerian president for industry, trade and investment, adding that after more than 100 years of rule, I don't know what else they have done except for the construction of railways dedicated to prospecting and obtaining resources! These railways are not used for trade, passenger transportation, etc. to develop the economy like China, but to transport minerals to ports and then ship them to Europe and the United States. And then there is nothing for us.
At the beginning of this century, when European and American companies flocked to Guinea, in order to grab resources, enterprises in the United States, Australia and other countries signed many mining agreements with them, but they did not fulfill the agreements well, resulting in many large bauxite mines in a state of long-term shutdown, making this "ore for a living" country suffer huge losses. Duyar, CEO of Urevu Construction and Mining Holdings Ltd., believes that "the US claim that China is seizing Africa's important mineral resources is simply nonsense." I have been engaged in the mining industry in Africa for more than 20 years, and I have seen more plundering of African resources by the United States and European countries, on the contrary, the participation of Chinese companies has allowed African countries to better use natural resources for the benefit of their own people, and also benefit African people. An official of Nigeria's National Mining Commission bluntly said: "The US hype of China and African countries 'infrastructure for minerals' is simply not true." For Africa to develop, it is understandable and completely normal to borrow, borrow or use assets as collateral. In fact, cooperation between China and Africa is a win-win model that benefits both sides. ”
Some commentators pointed out that many Chinese companies participating in Africa's mining industry are catching up with the decline in ore prices and a large number of Western mining companies "abandoning" Africa, the latter taking away capital and technology, leaving behind unemployment and trouble. At this time, Chinese enterprises carried out mining cooperation with African countries and took over the mess left by Western companies, which solved the urgent task of sustainable development of mining in African countries. However, US public opinion accused "China's monopoly of important African minerals" of being irresponsible and even had ulterior motives.
In addition to the brutal plundering of mineral resources in Africa, the United States and other Western countries have also constantly provoked discord between African countries and China. In 2019, the United States, along with nine other countries, including Peru and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, issued the Energy Resources Governance Initiative, which is committed to helping countries that join the initiative discover and develop mineral reserves for electric vehicles. Reuters said it was part of an effort to reduce countries' reliance on Chinese high-tech materials. Under the banner of "responsible" and "sustainable" mining of mineral resources, the United States has also put pressure on China's overseas mineral enterprises through some African countries.
On overseas social media platforms, many overseas netizens expressed their views on the plundering of African mineral resources by the United States and other Western countries and smearing China-Africa resource and energy cooperation.
Netizen @$asserted said that if you Westerners can let us go, Africa will be a hundred times stronger than it is now. You (the West) are thieves and thieves. Take your barracks, mines, NGOs, bankers, etc., and get out of Africa (before you get kicked out).
Netizen @Khetha Mabaso said that we have heard these stories, but we know the truth. The United States illegally occupies Syria and steals Syrian oil. We also know that the West treats Africa's mineral resources as part of neocolonialism.
Netizens @lrina believe that it is clear that the United States and other Western countries monopolize Africa's mineral resources, but American politicians accuse China, which is a thief shouting to catch a thief.
Netizens @WiseMonkey believe that Africa has the richest mineral resources in the world, but it is hindered by the West in developing these mineral resources.
Netizen @Dr Felix Makonye said that China has never colonized Africa, but Western countries have colonized Africa. The West had plundered Africa's resources for centuries even before the Berlin Conference, which preceded the 1884 Conference of the Great Powers in Berlin, Germany, and they had enslaved Africans. China helped us liberate ourselves from Western colonialism, including neocolonialism.
Netizen @Jane Timisela said that the United States is a friend (of Africa)? A friend will not let his friend remain poor... How many natural resources did the United States steal from Africa? Despite its rich mineral resources, Africa remains poor.
Netizens @Mmeli said, why does the United States steal mineral resources from many countries in the Middle East and Africa? This is terrorism!
Source: Global Network