Brussels, 27/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - China is becoming ever more involved as a major player in the African continent, using very different aid procedures to those of the EU. The EU, historically Africa's privileged cooperation partner, is aware of this and wants to react to this new state of affairs which alters its political agenda. Hence the Commission's idea of launching a concerted reflection process on triangular cooperation, using the respective knowledge and know-how of each for the benefit of development in Africa. With this in mind, European Development Commissioner Louis Michel will travel to China on 10-14 July. In the same spirit, and to prepare the Commissioner's visit, the Commission is holding a trilateral conference in Brussels on Thursday 28 June. The conference, entitled “Partners in Competition? EU, Africa and China”, will try to set up a trilateral dialogue.
The Commissioner set out the thought behind this action in a speech at the EU-Africa Business Forum in Accra (Ghana) on 22 June. “China is a reality. Account must be taken of it. It needs Africa - much more sometimes than African s realise - and its resources. … Africa sometimes feels that it needs China. Because China is more flexible. It sets few conditions, indeed none at all. It is very quick. It is reactive, so it can react in real time, thus, necessarily, its development policies allow it to sustain a real geo-strategic policy. That said, we live in an open, competitive world. All the players have to adapt, by enhancing their standards and their values. I will go to China … to discuss with the Chinese authorities and to try, with no guarantee of success, to bring them to a strategic dialogue. … I think that we have very good arguments to persuade them to accept, to a certain extent to try, for example, triangular development projects. … there is some apprehension beginning to appear with regard to the Chinese attitude. In the construction of their geo-political strategy, they have no interest in not becoming part of, what I would call, acceptable standards, and we can be witnesses to these acceptable standards. We can bring them to a joint strategy on a number of issues. For the rest, perhaps it is in our interest to bring the Chinese into strategies to cover infrastructure costs.”
Thursday's conference will bring together high-ranking officials, academics and experts from China, the EU and African countries to explore the possibilities of cooperation. It will be opened by Louis Michel, who will deliver a speech on “EU-China-Africa, how can a triangle of competitors be turned into a partnership for the development of Africa”. H. E. Guan Chengiyuan, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the EU, will speak on “How can China's strategic partnerships with Africa and with the EU be made compatible?”.
Among the other issues for discussion are: - China's new policy in Africa: a new paradigm or another partnership? - Africa's choices; - Development policy as a vector for a trilateral strategic partnership; - issues related to development, effectiveness of aid and lessons to be learnt by the EU and China for future cooperation; - Trade in natural resources and raw materials; - Doing business in Africa: challenges and opportunities; - How to encourage cooperation and healthy competition for the development of Africa; - arguments in favour of dialogue and trilateral cooperation. The EIB, the African Development Bank, the Chinese Import Bank and the Chinese Development Bank will take part in the lunch.
Conditionality of aid does not feature on the agenda. According to a source close to the Commission, this is not an omission. “We want to have everyone on board,” the source said, adding that “the negative comments in the press arouse the suspicions” of the Chinese and the EU does not want to be seen as giving lessons. (an)