China's Expanding Role in Africa

[Dayuhan]

But this discussion board is dominated by Westerners and one of the major reasons why China is up for discussion here is because China is perceived to be a threat to the West.

Westerners, and Americans in particular, see all kinds of things as threats. See my signature line for a suggestion as to why that might be the case. I don't speak for America or "the West", and I personally think a great deal of this "threat perception" is hyperventilated nonsense. All I've said here is that I don't think China's expanding role in Africa is a threat or a problem for anyone, except possibly for Africans. If anyone thinks otherwise I'd be curious to hear why.

If Brazil or India were doing exactly what China is doing today in Africa (India may follow that route in a few years), the level of interest on this board will be minimal.

Possibly, though as Fuchs says the American capacity for paranoia should not be underestimated. Worth considering as well that if the US, Britain, or France was doing exactly what China is doing today in Africa, Africans would likely be up in arms and hyperventilating about the return of the colonial powers. Selective perception is widespread in this world...