More than one million Chinese have emigrated to
Africa over the past couple of decades in search of the African dream.
Author Howard French
explores what it looks like when China goes global in the 21st century in his
book, “China’s Second Continent: How a Million Migrants Are Building a New
Empire in Africa.”
A former New York Times bureau chief for China and
Africa, French is an award-winning investigative journalist.
Large infrastructure projects by Chinese builders
are scattered across Africa, and some of the migrant workers stayed in
Africa after construction projects were completed, Fortune.com reports
in a review of French’s book.
Africa is also scattered with small businesses
run by Chinese entrepreneurs who left their crowded homeland. In French’s
book, one of his sources talks about creating a new race
when his Chinese sons marry African women.
Today’s China is preparing itself for global
influence—the new Asia Infrastructure
Investment Bank is but
one example, according to Fortune.
China first proposed a development bank about
two years ago as a way to help finance the enormous infrastructural needs in
Asia, NPR reports.
More than 40 countries signed up at the last minute as founding members
including key European allies the U.K., France, Germany and Italy.
The Obama administration opposes the bank.
Officially, the White House says it is concerned about governance,
transparency and social and environmental safeguards. Unofficially, the AIIB is
seen as a challenge to U.S.-backed institutions such as the World Bank,
according to NPR.
Chinese projects have provided much-needed
infrastructure in poor African countries, but have also given Chinese companies
favorable terms in accessing Africa’s rich resources in metals, wood and oil,
according to Fortune.