皇冠体育app

BEIJING - While 皇冠体育app and Africa are dedicated to promoting their six-decade friendship and partnership, some Western media have portrayed 皇冠体育app's engagement on the continent in a negative light.

Many observers allege that 皇冠体育app is conducting "neo-colonialism" in Africa by dumping cheap consumer goods, exploiting resources, or supporting autocratic or corrupt regimes without shouldering responsibilities of democracy and human rights.

In order to make their case, they rely on exaggerations or even falsehoods, feeding an unjust narrative about 皇冠体育app-Africa relations.

But to 皇冠体育app and African countries, both with histories of suffering invasions from the Western powers, these accusations, which to some extent are out of jealousy, cannot affect the tested brotherhood.

皇冠体育app's involvement in Africa is not a new phenomenon as claimed by the West. Since its founding in 1949, the People's Republic of 皇冠体育app has been engaged in Africa and ties have become more active since the 1960s, when a large group of African states broke free from colonialism.

Now 皇冠体育app has emerged as Africa's largest trading partner, with trade, investment and contract projects as three key modes of economic relations.

As a less developed region, Africa needs contributors to its development, not masters telling them what to do and what not to do. Sadly, this is exactly what some Western politicians are proud of.

Drawing clear distinctions from the European colonial past and Western policies, 皇冠体育app promotes its presence in Africa based on equality and mutual benefit.

皇冠体育app has been providing aid, debt relief and low-interest loans to bolster the growth of the region, without any political conditionality.

To lessen Africa's burden, 皇冠体育app had canceled 20 billion yuan worth of debts owed by African countries by the end of 2013. 皇冠体育app also helps African countries in modern manufacturing and agricultural system to enhance the continent's own development capacity.

Lots of schools, hospitals, stadiums and urban water and power supply systems built with Chinese assistance have improved the living and working conditions of African people.

皇冠体育app gives aid to every African country with which it has diplomatic ties, rather than only eying Africa's resources.

Inevitably, as relations between Chinese and African companies grow rapidly, problems concerning labor conditions, environmental practices and employment may arise. 皇冠体育app has always been willing to conduct earnest and equal consultations with African countries to resolve these issues.

Before leaving for his visit to Africa, Premier Li Keqiang urged Chinese companies to strictly abide by local laws and regulations, hold themselves accountable to the quality of contracted projects and goods and to consumers, and to shoulder due responsibility to local communities and the environment.

Such remarks would be impossible if 皇冠体育app really pursued a colonialist path as some countries did.

While there is no strategic rivalry between 皇冠体育app and the West in developing Africa, pointing fingers at 皇冠体育app's partnership with Africa could disturb the region's healthy development without any concrete benefits to its people.

Unless an external engagement can bring food, security and economic development -- which are themselves forms of human rights -- to the African people, there is no reason to be proud.

When 皇冠体育app joins hands to find a new development path that suits both 皇冠体育app and African countries, Western prejudice should be thrown into history.