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China and Vietnam have always been historic enemies. Sure they might not have great relations, at least they didn’t invade and destroy the place! I think you’r

China and Vietnam have always been historic enemies. Sure they might not have great relations, at least they didn’t invade and destroy the place! I think you’re overlooking the entire history of western colonization and US empire there. Belt and Road initiative? China is helping many African countries develop infrastructure, and doing so in a mutually beneficial manner.

aksss 7y ago
The Belt and Road initiative has been a debt trap for African nations, and countries are increasingly skeptical of signing on. This has been a recurring topic in the Economist for the last year at least.
- mattrp 7y ago
  I’m curious what happens when Africa defaults on all these loans. Who picks up those pieces and acts as the backstop?
NicoJuicy 7y ago
Euh, no. Infrastructure they can't afford ( maintenance because of bad quality roads) and using loans for paying Chinese workers benefits only China. Most countries are seeing their debts rising as never before. And don't forget undermining democracy in Europe by false investment promises to eastern countries and inviting Russia without announcement - https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/communication-eu-china-a-strategic-outlook.pdf https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/c... PS. Don't forget the Chinese racism vs Africans, even when they are working on their countries. It's time to threat them like they do us, no access to any market would be fair.
bkyan 7y ago
Just to be clear, China did invade Vietnam in 1979. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Vietnamese_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Vietnamese_War https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/05/01/402572349/ask-the-vietnamese-about-war-and-they-think-china-not-the-u-s https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/05/01/402572349/...
- chillacy 7y ago
  I've read a bit into that conflict while I was traveling in Vietnam and it definitely is interesting. Vietnam had just finished the American war (their independence war) and had a pretty strong military, they were well on their way to uniting indochina. China invades to interrupt vietnam's invasion of cambodia (splitting vietnam's forces), but takes relatively heavy losses due to outdated military strategy (essentially losing to a bunch of militia on their way to the capitol). Had Vietnam been allowed to take cambodia/laos/etc, a united indochina could have been a pretty serious player in the region, and served as a counter to China. Instead China essentially aborted that plan, and can now push its southern neighbors around.

aksss 7y ago

The Belt and Road initiative has been a debt trap for African nations, and countries are increasingly skeptical of signing on. This has been a recurring topic in the Economist for the last year at least.

mattrp 7y ago
I’m curious what happens when Africa defaults on all these loans. Who picks up those pieces and acts as the backstop?

NicoJuicy 7y ago

Euh, no. Infrastructure they can't afford ( maintenance because of bad quality roads) and using loans for paying Chinese workers benefits only China. Most countries are seeing their debts rising as never before. And don't forget undermining democracy in Europe by false investment promises to eastern countries and inviting Russia without announcement - https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/communication-eu-china-a-strategic-outlook.pdf https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/c... PS. Don't forget the Chinese racism vs Africans, even when they are working on their countries. It's time to threat them like they do us, no access to any market would be fair.

bkyan 7y ago

Just to be clear, China did invade Vietnam in 1979. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Vietnamese_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Vietnamese_War https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/05/01/402572349/ask-the-vietnamese-about-war-and-they-think-china-not-the-u-s https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2015/05/01/402572349/...

chillacy 7y ago
I've read a bit into that conflict while I was traveling in Vietnam and it definitely is interesting. Vietnam had just finished the American war (their independence war) and had a pretty strong military, they were well on their way to uniting indochina. China invades to interrupt vietnam's invasion of cambodia (splitting vietnam's forces), but takes relatively heavy losses due to outdated military strategy (essentially losing to a bunch of militia on their way to the capitol). Had Vietnam been allowed to take cambodia/laos/etc, a united indochina could have been a pretty serious player in the region, and served as a counter to China. Instead China essentially aborted that plan, and can now push its southern neighbors around.