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There has been much controversy and debate lately over China's increased investment in African countries. It seems that every critic has a different prediction of the long-term impact this will have on the continent. The most widely critiqued portion of this business affair is pointedly China's policy of non-interference in domestic affairs. They attach no conditions to their loans such as most aid and development banks do, requiring environmental assessments among other things. The Chinese openly sell arms to the Sudanese government. They do not pressure African dictators to democratize their countries. Chinese contractors repeatedly bribe governments, offering to build a railroad or school in return for winning a bid on a contract. China's policy is in practice and it is working, but who is it working for?

Yes, the Chinese have built an innovative infrastructure in Africa complete with schools, railroads, and telecommunications networks. And they have promised to build more. The Chinese own the majority of mines and major companies operating throughout the continent. The Chinese have flooded the African market with textiles and consumer goods. Noone will argue that these are not good things that Africa desperately needed. Infrastructure is an important step and is something that the U.S. is trying desperately to create in Iraq. The Chinese have accomplished this successfully because they have detached themselves from the domestic affairs in Africa and operate simply on a strictly business mentality. It has never been China's intent to aid the African continent. They saw an opportunity and invested, just as any stock broker. Africa is full of natural resources and China only wants to capitalize on their investment as well as secure energy resources for their booming economy.

Now you must ask: Who is operating these companies? Who is working in the mines? Who is winning government contracts? Who is building the schools and the railroads? There is only one answer: the Chinese. They are funding the continent so that Chinese owned and operated companies can expand there. This is the point at which most critics use the term colonialism. The Chinese hold all the power, money, and goods. There is no transfer of technology or skills. The dictators of African countries are blinded by the sudden increase of money and goods, as well as a new powerful friend. They do not even think to demand the same things that their new Asian friends

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