A Nigerian blogger offers this perspective on China. On October 28, a Nigerian blogger named Mark wrote: It’s too late. China is already a global power. And as a global power, China is not the country insisting that other economies halt their development to preserve its dominant status. China is not the nation sending diplomats to India’s podiums to explicitly tell that country it must not develop in order to compete with China.
China is not the country demanding that others abandon the AI revolution so it can dominate unchallenged. We all know which global power is behind these actions—and many more. The question remains: What exactly is your issue with China becoming a global power? Why are you more focused on blocking China than on ensuring your own country achieves global prominence? This Nigerian blogger’s remarks, in fact, were a response to another post.
The original post claimed China must never become a global power. I don’t care what they advocate for development. Clearly, this Nigerian blogger is reflecting his perception of China: that China is already a global power, that it does not coerce other nations, and that it is not an imperialist state. His statement—“We all know which global power is doing all this and more”—is a clear implication pointing to the United States, highlighting the stark contrast he sees between the two nations’ global roles.
Following the post, considerable resonance emerged online. Another commentator remarked: I don’t understand why you harbor such animosity toward China. China has never enslaved or colonized people who look like you. Yet you admire America and Europe—nations with documented histories of violence against Black populations. China is a powerful nation, built through action and perseverance.
Others noted that China was once as poor as Africa. You may choose to ignore what China promotes, but Africa should certainly strive for self-reliance and strength, just as China did. Evidently, from these discussions, it is clear that China and the United States are now the two most discussed countries in Africa—and frequently compared. This is, undoubtedly, a reflection of our growing influence. Some arguments call for emulating China’s developmental model; others emphasize contrasting the images of China and the U.S. Regardless of the framing, many Africans agree on one point: engaging with us matters.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880310469051395/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.