House Lawmakers Propose Legislation to Counter China's Influence in Africa
A new bill has been introduced by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers with the aim to counteract the harmful activities of communist China in Africa.
Concerns Over China's Belt and Road Initiative
House Representatives Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Colin Allred (D-Texas), both members of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, have expressed concerns over China's activities in Africa, especially those related to Beijing's foreign investment program, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). They argue that these activities have negatively impacted Africa's environment, ecology, and public health.
Kim stated that the BRI not only coerces developing nations into debt-trap diplomacy but also exposes vulnerable populations to harmful ecological, environmental, and public health risks. She emphasized the need to hold China accountable for its violation of international environmental and labor laws.
The Belt and Road Initiative
The BRI was announced by the Chinese Communist Party in 2013 with the aim to establish Beijing-centered land and maritime trade networks by financing infrastructure projects throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Many African countries, including South Africa, Gambia, Uganda, Senegal, Ghana, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia are participants in the BRI.
The SPEED Act
The proposed legislation, known as the Stopping PRC Environmental Exploitation and Degradation (SPEED) Act, seeks to establish a policy for the United States to oppose actions of China-linked entities that exploit natural resources in Africa without adhering to the host country's international environmental protection and labor laws.
If enacted, the SPEED Act would require the secretary of state and the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to submit a strategy to Congress on how the United States will work with African countries to mitigate the negative environmental impact caused by Chinese companies. The legislation would also authorize the president to impose sanctions on China-linked entities responsible for adverse environmental, ecological, or public health incidents in Africa.
China's Environmental Abuses
The legislation cites a State Department report titled "China's Environment Abuses" which criticized the BRI projects for being "not-so-green." The report stated that Chinese-backed projects have displaced local populations, negatively affected water quality, polluted adjacent land, and spoiled fragile ecosystems.
The bill also documents incidents of adverse environmental, ecological, and public health incidents in Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Incidents in Africa
In 2021, local communities in the Congo accused a Chinese mining company of polluting the Aruwimi River, a tributary of the Congo River. In Gambia, fishmeal processing factories owned partially or wholly by Chinese investors have been accused of committing illegal and unreported fishing practices and discharging untreated waste into waterways since 2016. A Chinese natural gas plant in Ethiopia’s Somali region has been accused of poisoning drinking water with its hazardous chemical waste, allegedly causing over 2,000 deaths.
Bottom Line
The proposed legislation is a clear indication of the growing concern over China's influence in Africa and its potential harmful effects on the continent's environment and public health. It raises important questions about the responsibility of global powers in ensuring the protection of vulnerable populations and environments. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think this legislation will effectively counter China's influence in Africa? Share this article with your friends and let us know your thoughts. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, delivered to your inbox every day at 6pm.
