南非贸工部长昨日对中国在非洲大举投资给予高度评价，表示北京方面并未推行新殖民主义政策、中国对非洲日益增长的兴趣将带来巨大益处。
罗布•戴维斯(Rob Davies)正陪同南非总统雅各布•祖马(Jacob Zuma)访华，代表团包括11名内阁成员和近400名商界高管，这是南非领导人有史以来阵势最大的出访。
戴维斯表示，中国在非洲的地盘迅速扩大“只会是一件好事”，因为这意味着在非洲角逐资源和影响力方面，发达国家与发展中国家的竞争加剧。
“我们再也不必在强塞给我们的文件上签名；我们现在有了替代选择，这对我们是有利的，”戴维斯在接受采访时表示。
戴维斯的言论与南非前总统塔博•姆贝基(Thabo Mbeki)的说法形成反差。姆贝基在三年前表示，非洲有可能陷入与中国的“殖民关系”。
相比之下，祖马对北京方面友好得多。他在北京向一个中国-南非商业论坛表示，“中国的确是南非的一个关键战略伙伴，而南非也很愿意开展经贸往来”。
中国在非洲有许多支持者，尤其是在执政的精英阶层，这些人往往个人得益于中国的援助和不附带条件的投资。
但非洲也有不少人批评北京方面，在中国工作人员越来越多的阿尔及利亚、安哥拉、刚果民主共和国和赞比亚等国，中国企业和工人已成为敌视和暴力的对象。
美欧的批评人士指出，北京方面在苏丹和津巴布韦等国支持恶劣的政权，并在追逐资源的过程中有意忽视良好管治、人权和环境。
戴维斯表示，对那些宣称中国正在谋求新殖民主义权势的西方批评人士，恰如其分的回应是“彼此彼此”。
他表示，南非代表团的目标是削减该国与中国的双边贸易逆差（自2008年以来，中国是南非的最大贸易伙伴），并改善贸易结构。
根据南非方面的数据，去年南非65.7亿美元的对华出口几乎全是自然资源，而该国从中国的94.5亿美元进口则是含有附加值的制成品。
南非希望中国对南非铁路、电网和其它基础设施加大投资，并希望说服中国企业在该国建立更多制造业务。
中国和南非两国企业昨日签署了十多项协议，涉及对铁路、输电、建筑、采矿、保险、电信以及核电等行业的投资。
译者/和风
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001034286
South Africa’s trade minister embraced China’s surging investment in Africa yesterday, saying that Beijing was not pursuing a neocolonial policy and its growing interest in the continent would bring huge benefits.
The trade minister is part of a delegation led by South African President Jacob Zuma that includes almost 400 business executives and 11 cabinet members, the biggest ever group to accompany a South African leader abroad.
Rob Davies said China’s rapidly expanding African presence “can only be a good thing” because it meant increased competition between developed and developing countries in their pursuit of resources and influence in Africa.
“We don’t just have to sign on the dotted line whatever is shoved under our noses any longer; we now have alternatives and that’s to our benefit,” Mr Davies said in an interview.
Mr Davies’ comments contrast with statements by Thabo Mbeki, former South African president, who said three years ago that Africa risked falling into a “colonial relationship” with China.
Mr Zuma, who has been far friendlier towards Beijing, told a Sino-South African business forum in Beijing that “China is indeed a key strategic partner for South Africa, and South Africa is open for business in a big way”.
China has many supporters in Africa, particularly among ruling elites who often benefit personally from its allocation aid and investment without attaching conditions.
But Beijing also has many African critics, and Chinese companies and workers have been targets of animosity and violence in places such as Algeria, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, where they have a growing presence.
Critics in the US and Europe point to Beijing’s support for unsavoury governments in places such as Sudan and Zimbabwe and its willingness to ignore governance, human rights and the environment in pursuit of resources.
Mr Davies said the appropriate response to western critics who say China is pursuing neocolonialist power was that “it takes one to know one”.
He said the delegation’s aim was to cut South Africa’s bilateral deficit with China, its largest trade partner since 2008, and improve the mix of trade.
South Africa’s $6.57bn in exports to China last year were almost entirely made up of natural resources while its $9.45bn of imports from China were value-added manufactured goods, according to South African data.
South Africa is hoping for more Chinese investment in railways, the power grid and other infrastructure and also wants to convince Chinese companies to set up more manufacturing in the country.
Chinese and South African companies signed more than a dozen agreements yesterday involving investments in railways, power transmission, construction, mining, insurance, telecoms and nuclear power.
没有评论:
发表评论