Table of contentsZambiaUgandaEthiopiaConclusionThe Encyclopaedia Britannica defines imperialism as an extension of power and domination through direct territorial acquisition or by obtaining political and economic control of other regions. The 20th century was filled with so much political rivalry that it saw all empirical power as a relic of the past, and a new millennium was supposed to be marked by global integration, an era of human rights and freedoms democratic. Nevertheless, some winds are changing now as we approach the end of the second decade of the 21st century, where the old bipolar world has been taken by storm by the rise of the Democratic Republic of China. It is no longer the starving rural country under Mao, it is the world's second and steadily growing economic power, which has skillfully taken over sectors that were previously seen as a Western prerogative. The Chinese government has fueled innovation around the world, including in Africa, where investment and the integration of capitalism are powering a vast machine that has yet to show its full potential. However, one thing is clear: China has great interests around the world, but particularly in Africa. it showed intense signs of neocolonialism or neo-imperialism. This is why, in this article, we will study the positive and negative effects of imperialism in Africa. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayIn September 2018, Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), where he focused on common interests. and a shared vision that involves “the responsibility to defend peace and development through “fraternal” cooperation and “win-win” solutions. In addition, the president promised a $60 billion investment in Africa, but the extent of this investment is somewhat unclear because it took place without any pompous publicity, but rather strategically according to measures that cannot be qualified than imperialism. Currently, China is Africa's largest trading partner thanks to massive investments in key industries; he was able to take control of important raw materials and supplies, jobs and land for his own benefit. This article examines the extent to which Chinese investors are corroding the already fragile and unreliable systems in place, instead of advancing Africa's socio-economic and political development. We've seen European power do it since the age of exploration, and now we see it again, by an Asian giant. ZambiaThe first case that stands out is that of Zambia, home to the famous Victoria Falls and, more famously, rich in copper. lands with emerald mines and chemicals. Zambia has also been a major beneficiary of Chinese investment, but still faces "persistent unemployment and poverty... wondering where exactly the fruits of their lucrative deals with the Chinese have gone." It even seems that the election of President Michael Sata in 2011 was largely based on anti-Chinese sentiment among the population who demand “reliable and accurate information on resources generated in the country or coming from foreign resources to develop Zambia ". ". The large-scale exploitation of local workers by Chinese companies has led to several protests which resulted in multiple injuries and even deaths, thus showing the perverse side of Chinese operations: there is nothere is no sense of protection among the foreign leaders brought from China towards the people of Zambia. who operate their mines. Furthermore, the New Yorker article suggests that the ongoing imperialism is not benefiting the local population, as there have been numerous cases of tax evasion that are estimated to cost the country two billion dollars a year, as well as the causes most of the funds generated to be diverted out of Zambia, thus creating an argument for imperialism; something Europeans had done at the time: sending raw materials to Europe and selling finished products in their imperial domains. To solve this problem, the government is about to put in place regulations that would require Chinese profits to be reinvested within two months, but there is really a lack of evidence to prove how successful this program has been. to help local development in Zambia. UgandaThroughout its history, Uganda has witnessed numerous atrocities and acts of unimaginable cruelty that have left a deep scar across the entire country. In the 19th century, Uganda was colonized by the British and did not gain formal independence until a century later. However, within ten years, the newly won independence transformed into one of the most brutal dictatorships the African continent has ever known. Ugandan President Idi Amin, who seized power in a coup, launched a genocidal program to purge the Lango and Acholi ethnic groups. This atrocious campaign killed hundreds of thousands of Ugandans, severely weakened the country's institutions and left open the possibility for a foreign country to intervene. The foreign power that intervened was China, which is pursuing a second wave of imperialism in Africa, although in a different model than the Europeans. This wave of imperialism is not accompanied by military interventions or direct rule, but rather takes a “softer” form of economic dependence. However, the goal remains the same: China wants to control Uganda's raw materials, natural resources and political agenda. Unlike the United States, which primarily provides financial assistance for improving education and health care, Chinese companies (or the government) have focused on investing in much-needed infrastructure in the form of loans that the Ugandan government is struggling to repay. In 2018, Uganda signed an agreement with China for a $212.6 million loan for rural electrification, which is a pressing issue as the Ugandan government needs to meet its target in the electricity distribution sector. 'electricity. However, this agreement is only the beginning since the Chinese government has announced its intention to invest an additional $3 billion in the electricity sector. Uganda’s electrification rate in rural areas is a dismal 7%, so additional funding is needed for infrastructure. However, the terms of this agreement are more akin to loan sharking practices, as there is virtually no negotiation on the terms and the loan rate is incredibly high. The Ugandan government recognizes this threat as Matia Kasaija, the Minister of Finance, wrote a concerned letter to Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda. The Independent reports the contents of this letter as follows: "We noted some critical issues in the financing agreement," writes Kasaija and lists three main areas: on China's insistence on providing all technology and materials for the project, its insistence that Uganda open an escrow account in Beijing and deposit money as collateral in the event of default, and theholding domestic assets as collateral in the event of loan default. “Given what is happening in our peer countries regarding China's debt, we strongly believe that we should protect our assets from a possible takeover,” Kasaija told Museveni. As the letter demonstrates, Kasaija is concerned about the terms of this agreement, as there would be a minimal number of jobs created since the Chinese government will provide materials and labor force. However, his main concern is that Uganda is so indebted to China that there could be a possible takeover of its natural resources, defense, security and other important assets. Kasaija also highlights the importance of not opening escrow accounts in Chinese banks and uses this as an example of how bad Chinese loans really are. Under the loan agreement, before China provides a loan, Uganda must open a repayment/reserve account or escrow account and deposit money to cover the highest annual amount of interest and charges under the agreement, as security in the event of default. Kasaija warns Museveni that "this implies that the government will open an account in China and hold money in that account for the duration of the loan." “This blocks government funds that would otherwise be used to finance other development programs,” he says. Chinese banks have created these escrow accounts so that the debt grows exponentially at an accelerating rate, making repayment virtually impossible or extremely expensive. If the loan cannot be repaid, Chinese banks will seize all assets associated with the loan and unfortunately this is not the only loan on similar terms accepted by the Ugandan government. In fact, according to Kasaija, Uganda has already signed five loan agreements with almost the same conditions. These include National Backbone and e-Government Phase III Loan, Kampala-Entebbe Airport Expressway, Nsimba Hydropower Project, Aviation Authority Project and of the Karuma hydroelectric dam. Ethiopia Another striking example of Chinese imperialism in Africa can be seen through the rapidly developing Ethiopia, whose GDP, according to the World Bank, increased its GDP from approximately $7 billion in 1994 to 80 billion dollars in 2018. It has also become one of the main targets of China's "Silk Belt" initiative: a $4 billion investment in the country. Under the rail system, Ethiopia-Djibouti has left the country largely indebted to the Export-Import Bank of China, one of 5,217 Chinese investment projects in Ethiopia. Although the rail system is operational, this project has not generated the expected profits, further exacerbated by the fact that it is "difficult to know who will receive the money", as it is operated by the Chinese company Shenzhen Metro Group , which also includes maintenance of the lines, virtually removing any Ethiopian involvement in lucrative activities. In addition, among these projects, around 400, valued at more than $4 billion, are already operational. The relationship between two countries can be described as asymmetric, which is manifested by a negative trade balance with the partner country, which, on the other hand, shows a positive result. Furthermore, the type of model their partnership exists on paper is country development, when in reality it is based on the "patron-client relationship between African ruling elites and China." Some call this Chinese involvement “neocolonialism,” which not everyone agrees with...