在过去的数年间中非关系变得更加强劲
文I 特约撰稿 万丽眸（Wanlimo） [ 肯尼亚] 翻译|齐晓彤
两个月前，美国前国务卿雷克斯蒂勒森首访非洲凸显出中国在非洲的角色这一问题。据路透社报道，他说，“非洲国家应仔细考虑那些（与中国签订的）合约的条款，以免主权受到侵犯，这一点很重要。”这当然不是什么新鲜事了。自从2009年中国成为非洲最大的援助与贸易伙伴之后，这种言论便开始甚嚣尘上、直至今日。
大多数论点的谬误之处在于对中非关系历史渊源缺乏理解，中国与非洲的联系可以追溯到600年前明朝（1368-1644）郑和的探险。从过去以丝绸、瓷器换象牙、没药、动物到如今1300多亿美元的贸易量，未来中国还会继续勾勒非洲的历史。目前中国与54个非洲国家维持着外交关系。
在我们准备庆祝2018年5月25日非洲联盟非洲日之际，需要在摒弃文化偏见的前提下准确突出中非合作关系，这种需要越来越迫切。目前围绕中非关系的热词是新殖民主义，但是无论是从中非关系的现状还是未来两个角度来讲，这种说法都是不准确的。
从非洲统一组织到非洲联盟。1963年5月25日非洲国家创办了非洲统一组织，创建宗旨是帮助非洲国家从当时的殖民主义者手中获得解放。一些非统组织活动发源于外交领域，以支持非洲解放运动、边境矛盾、区域战争与内战的调停以及在经济与传播领域的研究。
历经几个世纪的维和行动和边境纷争，变革是在所难免的。2000年当已故的利比亚领导人穆阿迈尔·卡扎菲上校提出将由一个新的机构——非洲联盟替代非洲统一组织时，变革就来了。非洲联盟与欧盟的原则相似，即更偏向于经济职能——设立中央银行、法庭以及一个立法分支——泛非会议。
提出设立非盟的立法性法案由三分之二的成员国表决通过，并于2001年5月26日生效。经历了一个转型时期后，2002年7月，非洲联盟代替非统组织。为了与新愿景相一致，非洲联盟在总愿景的指导下提出了《2063年议程 》，非洲联盟的总愿景是建立“一个联结紧密、繁荣昌盛、了却战火的非洲，其发展由非洲公民内生推动，并代表世界舞台上一股积极动能”。
根据非洲联盟网站，《2063年议程》是“一个针对接下来50年非洲大陆社会经济转型的战略性框架。依托过去及现有的非洲大陆增长与可持续发展倡议的实践经验，并努力加速这一实践过程。”
《2063年议程》形成过程中从全国性、地区性、非洲大陆的成功计划与项目中吸取精华，《2063年议程》也从过去和现在非盟倡议中获得借鉴，包括：
● 拉各斯行动计划
● 阿布贾条约
● 最低一体化项目
● 非洲基础设施发展计划（PIDA）
● 非洲农业发展综合项目（CAADP）
● 非洲发展新伙伴计划（NEPAD）
世界正逐步偏离全球化轨道，2008年灾难性的金融危机爆发后尤甚，尽管最近发生英国脱欧事件，大洲一体化的概念仍日益抬头。今年3月21日，44个非洲国家首脑签署了非洲大陆自贸区（协议），这表明非洲正逐步将自己放在全世界最大的贸易集团之一的战略性位置上。
这意味着一旦经由至少22个国家批准承认，从参与国数量的角度看非洲大陆自贸区将会成为继世界贸易组织后最大的自由贸易区，可见意义之重大。
这对于中国及其余世界各国都是利好消息，对于非洲尤为如此，因为据预测，至2022年非洲州内贸易将达到52%。借由与中非合作论坛的合作关系，此举只会对中非关系起到促进作用。
除了中非合作论坛之外，中国同许多发展中国家通过经济集团、峰会、论坛，建立了合作关系，发展跨国经贸合作。其中包括由巴西、俄罗斯、印度、中国、南非组成的金砖国家峰会，以及一带一路倡议。
2000年10月中非合作论坛于北京成立，自诞生之日起，便是中非合作的对话交流平台，每四月开办一次。中非合作论坛的目标是为双方关切的发展议题寻找双赢解决方案。目前为止，中非合作论坛在以下几个地方召开过：
● 2000年，第一届中非合作论坛，中国北京
● 2003年，第二届中非合作论坛，埃塞俄比亚亚的斯亚贝巴
● 2006年，第三届中非合作论坛，中国北京（中国发布第一份非洲政策文件）
● 2009年，第四届中非合作论坛，埃及沙姆沙伊赫
● 2012年，第五届中非合作论坛，中国北京
● 2015年，第六届中非合作论坛，南非（中国发布第二份非洲政策文件）
● 2018年，第七届中非合作论坛，中国北京（即将举行）
● 2011年10月26日，非洲联盟委员会从中非合作论坛的观察国变成了成员国。2012年1月经非洲联盟委任，中国政府免费修建了价值超过2千万美金的崭新宏伟的非洲联盟会议办公楼。
除此之外，2015年以来中非合作论坛行动计划中，有一则行为倡议——在北京设立一个非洲联盟的代表团。实际落实下去尚需时日，但一旦细节敲定之后，实践过程有望会加速。
今年5月份，《非洲将养活中国吗？》一书作者黛博拉·布罗蒂加姆在《华盛顿时报》上发表了一篇观点文章，文章中针对美国政客在中非关系上的误读进行回应。她写道：“但是，有关非洲事务中中国角色的研究员提出我们的政客对中国参与的理解很多都不符合真相。”
中非之间的确存在贸易不平衡，这一点可以从非洲缺少能满足本土、国外需求的产业这一现实中窥之一二。促进贸易平衡化的至关重要的第一步是实现国家工业化，而国家工业化只能通过资金支持来实现。
举一个肯尼亚的例子，原中国驻肯尼亚大使刘显法在新华网一篇文章中提到中国和肯尼亚都在加速政策形成过程以确保肯尼亚可以从一带一路倡议中获益，在一带一路倡议中，肯尼亚的定位是中国政府的战略合作伙伴。
中国不断增加在基础设施和能源方面的资金支持，以改善非洲破败的基础设施与能源缺失问题，然而这一举动受到了质疑。布罗蒂加姆的文章中一个亮点是她和团队进行的调查研究，她写道，“我们发现，通常情况下中国的贷款利率相对较低，还款期限相对较长。”
在与国家目标不相关的事物上缺乏计划安排，是非洲国家跟中国打交道时常常犯的错误。政客们想要表现出一副很“卖力”的样子，而进行基础设施建设会为他们赢得超越他们对手的政治成就，哪怕这些基础设施项目并没有很大效益。
技术转移过程缓慢也是一个错误。中国政府已经面向非洲国家提高了奖学金数量，以及通过提供所学领域的公司岗位，增加实践应用渠道，帮助非洲国家将所学带回到自己的国家。
不论是个别国家还是整个大洲都在设立更高的发展目标，在这种背景下，找到愿意提供专业经验而不是阻碍非洲进步的合作伙伴，通过与合作伙伴进行持续性对话，使阻碍目标快速落实的瓶颈得以解决，这是至关重要的。
非洲短暂的历史上书写着战争肆虐、气候变化问题增加以及不公平的贸易协议，任何进步都有可能熄灭，然而人们往往低估了非洲人民坚韧不拔的精神。非洲的年轻人和逐步壮大的中产阶级不再需要那么多“合影留念”的机会，维护公共关系而进行的贸易合作以及援助交易，越来越多的非洲人民已经准备好建设自己的国家了。
越来越多的地区开始对公私营合作模式敞开怀抱，使普通百姓获益，由此可见，学习中国经济增长经验和在技术转移方面对非的开放政策——例如设立经济特区与工业园区，使人民生活水平逐步提高得以实现。
在2008年世界市场崩盘、发达国家失业率开始上升之际，多数非洲国家未来经济前景凄凉，多数贷款存在坏账风险。2018年，危机爆发十年之后，随着与中国的合作加深，每个国家大步急切迈向经济独立，终于一些非洲国家可以对本国蕴含的投资机遇感到自信了。
中非合作论坛在政治交流，经贸合作和文化交流方面的蓝图可以帮助非洲实现战略性发展，促进非洲经济增长，并使所有合作伙伴受益。非洲国家有机会调整发展政策，并与中国达成谅解，因为中国是非洲大陆未来发展的重要伙伴国之一。
在接下来的10年里，非洲会继续革新发展道路，相信非洲的地位会因中国对非的双赢政策而得到提升。
非洲日快乐！（编辑：张梅）
英文版：
China-Africa’s Brighter Future Sino-Africa Relations Become Stronger Over the Years
By Wanlimo, a special correspondent in Beijing
Two months ago, Former United States Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson’s maiden trip to Africa highlighted the question of China’s role in Africa. He was quoted as saying, “It is important that African countries carefully consider the terms of those agreements and not forfeit their sovereignty,” according to Reuters news. This of course isn’t something new but the ongoing debate since 2009 when China become Africa’s largest trading partner in both aid and trade and has continued to this day.
The fallacy of most arguments is not understanding that China’s engagement with Africa spans over 600 years from the Ming Dynasty’s (1368-1644) Zheng He’s explorations. From the trading of ivory, myrrh and animals on exchange for silk and porcelain to now over USD 130 billion in trade, China has it’s footprints in Africa’s history for years to come. China currently maintains diplomatic relations with 54 African countries.
As we gear up to celebrate the Africa Union’s Africa Day on May 25, 2018 there’s an increasing urgency to highlight the China-Africa cooperation accurately and without cultural bias. The current buzzword surrounding the relations is neo-colonization, which isn’t accurate in looking at the China-Africa relations present and future.
From OAU to AU .The OAU was established on May 25, 1963, by African nations who wanted liberation from the colonists at the time. A look at some of the Organisation of Africa Unity s (OAU)’ activities was rooted in diplomacy in support of African liberation movements, mediation of boundary conflicts and regional and civil wars, and research in economics and communications.
Spanning over centuries during peacekeeping missions and boundary disputes, change was inevitable and that came in 2000 when the late Libyan leader Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi proposed that a new body replace the OAU, the Africa Union (AU). Similar in principles to the European Union, the AU was to be modeled more economically, have central bank, court of justice and one legislative arm – an all African parliament.
A Constitutive Act that postulated the establishment of the African Union, was ratified by two-thirds of the members and came into force on May 26, 2001. After a transition period, the African Union replaced the OAU in July 2002. Keeping line with it’s new vision, the AU established the Agenda 2063 under the guidance of the overall vision of “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in international arena.”
According to the AU website the Agenda 2063 is “a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years. Its builds on, and seeks to accelerate the implementation of past and existing continental initiatives for growth and sustainable development.”
Drawing from national, regional and continental plans and programmes with proven to work practices, the Agenda 2063 has used those in its formulation as well as some of the AU’s past and current initiatives it builds on include:
● The Lagos Plan of Action
● The Abuja Treaty
● The Minimum Integration Programme
● The Programme for Infrastructural Development in Africa (PIDA)
● The Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP)
● The New partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)
As the world moved gradually from globalization especially the calamitous financial crisis in 2017/8 continentialisation has become increasing popular despite the recent move by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. Africa is slowly shaping up to strategically position itself as one of the largest trading bloc in the world. As of March 21 of this year, 44 African heads of state signed the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The significance is great because this will mean that once ratified by at least 22 countries it would make the largest free-trade area in terms of participating countries since the formation of the World Trade Organization.
This is very good news for China and the rest of world but more so Africa as it’s projected that intra-Africa trade will be at 52 percent by 2022. This move will only strengthen Sino-Africa relations through the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) partnership.
China has set up partnerships other than FOCAC with many developing states through economic blocs, summits and forums, including the BRICS summit comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and the Belt and Road Initiative, to promote multinational economic and trade cooperation.
Launched in October 2000 in Beijing, The Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was launched as a tri-annual dialogue platform for co-operation between China and Africa. FOCAC objectives have been to find win-win solutions to development issues that were of mutual concern. So far FOCAC as been held in:
● 2000 – FOCAC I, Beijing, China
● 2003 – FOCAC II, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
● 2006 – FOCAC III, Beijing, China (China’s first Africa Policy published)
● 2009 – FOCAC IV, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
● 2012 – FOCAC V, Beijing, China
● 2015 – FOCAC VI, South Africa (China’s second Africa Policy published)
● 2018 – FOCAC VII, Beijing, China (forthcoming)
On October 26, 2011 The African Union Commission was admitted into FOCAC as a full member from being an Observer. After being commissioned in January 2012, the new AU conference and Office Complex The beautiful new AU Conference and Office Complex built by the Chinese government free of charge to the AU that was worth over USD 200 million.
In addition, in the FOCAC action plans from 2015, there's a call to action to open a mission in Beijing for the Africa Union. The actual setting up has taken some time but hopefully will speed up once the details are squared away.
In April this year, author of “Will Africa Feed China,” Deborah Bräutigam wrote an opinion article on the Washington Times that was addressing the misconception US politicians have about the China-Africa relationship. She wrote, “But researchers who have explored China’s role in Africa suggest that many of the things our politicians believe about Chinese engagement are not actually true.”
While it is true that there’s a trade imbalance between China and Africa this can be clearly outlined by the lack of industries on the part of Africa to meet the local and foreign demands. The crucial first step to increasing trade balances is to industrialise a nation and this can only happen through funding.
In the case of Kenya, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa was quoted as saying in an article in Xinhua that officials from both China and Kenya were engaged in speeding up policy formulation in order to ensure that Kenya benefits from the Belt and Road Initiative, of which Kenya was named as a strategic partner of the Chinese government.
China’s increasing funding in infrastructure and energy to help bridge the Africa’s crumbling infrastructure and lack of energy has been met with skepticism. One highlight of Bräutigam’s article is the research she and others have undertaken, she wrote, “we found that Chinese loans generally have comparatively low interest rates and long repayment periods.”
The common mistake that Africa countries were making with China was lack of planning for things that were not aligned to national goals. Politicians wanted to be seen to be “working” by having build infrastructure that would have them win political mileage against their opponents without it being very beneficial.
One other mistake is a slow technological transfer process. The Chinese government has increased their amount of scholarships it is giving African countries as well as avenues to practice what they learn by being placed in companies of their fields of study to be able to take all the acquired knowledge back to their home countries.
As individual countries and the continent steps up their developmental goals it’s crucial that bottlenecks that hinder the swift implementation of their objectives are tackled through constant dialogue with partners who are willing to lend their expertise but not get in the way of progress.
Africa’s young history has been marred by wars, increasing climatic changes, and unfair trade agreements that chocked any progress yet the resilience in the people is often overlooked. Africa’s youth and growing middle class are demanding less “photo-op” and public relations trade and aid deals as more and more are ready to build their countries.
Learning from China’s economic growth and China’s open policy with Africa on transfer of skills such as special economic zones and industrial parks is seeing the gradual shift in better living standards as more and more are opening up areas on partnerships from public-private that benefits the common man and woman.
In 2008 as the world markets were collapsing and rising unemployment started to rise in developed countries, most African countries had bleak economic outlooks and many ran the risk of defaulting on most of their loans. In 2018, ten year from that moment, with increased cooperation with China, many African countries can confidently appeal as a viable investment opportunity as each country takes bolder steps towards economically independent and with urgency.
The FOCAC road map of political exchange, economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange can boost Africa economies to find ways to develop strategically in ways that will benefit all partners in a win-win way. There’s a huge opportunity for African countries to align their policies and reach an understanding with China as one of the crucial partner countries for future development of the continent.
As Africa continues to correct its path towards development in another 10 years, Africa’s standing will be a notch higher due to China’s Africa policy of win-win.
Happy Africa Day!