Across historical times, empires that sought world domination eventually met with decline and decay. The American Empire in particular and Western countries in general are currently undergoing a gradual erosion of influence, power, and stability. Left to their own devices, blind and deaf to the calls for reform in how they interact with the rest of the world from the global south, the West/America is teetering in the footsteps of empires of yore – the Roman, the Ottoman, and the British empires. Having enjoyed global prominence for much of the 20th and 21st centuries, America is entering a period of decline.
The warning signs of decline are as clear. Unprecedented political polarization, widening economic inequality, crumbling infrastructure, rising national debt, and a polarized media landscape at home.
On the world stage, we are contesting America’s global dominance. China, which identifies with our “global southern interests,” has emerged as a formidable competitor, outpacing the United States. Whether in advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, or infrastructure development, China is dwarfing America. China’s Belt and Road Initiative exemplifies its ability to expand its influence globally, particularly in Africa, Asia, parts of Europe, and Latin America. Yes, even Europeans who are supposed to be cousins of the Americans in global politics are now preferring to buy goods like electric cars from China, because it is excellent and cheap.
America’s global leadership is waning on many fronts. It is likely to lose the war in Ukraine (Yes, it is its war against Russia). It lost the war in Afghanistan. It lost the war in Libya. America has burnt its taxpayers’ money on countless senseless wars and lost. But the most fatal war it is losing is the war for hearts and minds. More African/global southern countries/people are turning East for development support and comradeship in international relations.
We in the developing world did not create the international geopolitical vacuum which China is beginning to occupy. By departing from globally unifying interests and selfishly pursuing a self-righteous and self-destructive global order where it has the only and last say, America surrendered its comradeship with the nations of the world to the more self-effacing China, which promises and practices peaceful co-existence and shared development.
The relationship between Africa and China has evolved significantly over the past two decades, presenting a range of development opportunities for African nations. Africa is the world’s last most underdeveloped, poorest continent. We urgently need to transform from being agrarian economies to becoming modern, industrial nations. China has heeded our call and emerged as a dominant player in infrastructure investment across Africa. It is now narrowing a critical annual infrastructure investment gap of about USD 50 billion. Chinese firms have flocked to Africa, financing and constructing roads, railways, dams, airports, and establishing industrial parks. These are investments critical to economic growth.
In stark contrast, American investments in African infrastructure and manufacturing are significantly going lower with every passing year. The United States Department of State recently struck off Rwanda from the list of AGOA, implying Rwanda can no longer export goods to the United States tax-free. The cause of this drastic decision was that Rwanda decided to develop its domestic textile industry thus proscribing importation of second-hand clothes from America. If indeed the United States was interested in the structural transformation of such a small, poor country like Rwanda, why would it be ruthlessly against developing its small textile factories?
Instead, America’s brazen self-righteousness is focused on decreeing governance and institutional frameworks around the world. It doesn’t matter what problem you’re dealing with; America knows it can be solved if you govern yourself according to its prescriptions and its model. No context, no questions. This is the hubris that China has emerged to challenge, not by force but by providing an alternative for the world’s developing countries.
China’s approach to investment in Africa is also characterized by a focus on long-term partnerships that drive industrialization and capacity building. Development is a long-term process. It requires sustained support no matter the circumstances. This makes China a reliable partner for developing countries because it does not intervene in the political governance of these nations. And it does not put conditions on its investments dependent on how these countries are governed. This is something America failed to recognise. But switching how it supports African governments based on occasional disagreements with laws passed by African parliaments or how elections are managed or how presidents behave, etc, America fails to be a long-term reliable partner on the development journey of African nations. China’s willingness to commit to long-term projects without imposing immediate political conditions stands in stark contrast to American strategies that often favour short-term results or regime changes when “American expectations” are not met.
It is not difficult to see why African states are going to cast their lot with China for a long time to come. China has positioned itself as a key player in Africa’s development journey. On the other hand, America has refused to hear us out. And is diving head-first into its global decline and decay.
The writer is a senior research fellow at the Development Watch Centre,