–Chinese presence in Africa is still small–
Analysts said China’s increasing presence in Africa has made the West, which is losing ground in monopolizing Africa’s resources, jittery. The West is doing everything possible to discredit China’s positive developments in Africa.
However, the fact is that the Western countries are now still controlling the larger lion’s share of Africa’s economic activities, while the Chinese companies have so far remained only a small part of international investors seeking business opportunities in the continent.
In Zimbabwe, for example, British, American, Japanese, Australian and South African companies remain among the top investors in the country with more than 400 companies operating, despite comments by the West that China has taken a deliberate stance to “re-colonize” not only Zimbabwe, but the rest of Africa.
Zimbabwe has, since the formation of the inclusive government in 2009, received delegations from both the West and the East seeking to do business in the country.
Britain and the United States in particular have also held conventions where they have discussed business opportunities in the country.
Big Chinese companies such as Anjin, which is in partnership with the Zimbabwean government in diamond mining, ZIMASCO in iron smelting, and Sino-Zim in agro-business, are competing with many western corporations such as Australian-based Rio Tinto and Impala, Anglo American Corporation and several others based in neighbouring South Africa.
British company Anglo American Corporation is present in both mining and agro-industry while Impala has an 87 percent ownership in the country’s biggest platinum producer Zimplats and 50 percent in the smaller Mimosa Mine in Zvishavane.
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