Despite growing skepticism from the West as to China's intentions in the continent, its approach to Africa has been markedly different from that of its western counterparts -- past and present.

    Indeed, many feel that, with the help of China, Africa can enter a new era of cooperative development and finally break from decades of exploitation.

    "China and Africa have a lot in common," Xu said. Indeed, they are both destinations of foreign waste, and victims of an unfair international trade system. Africa in particular is often at the wrong end of the bargain when it comes to international trade, frequently being exploited by large multinational companies that drive commodity prices down with their immense buying power. China too feels the squeeze on prices, with the majority of profits from its rapidly-growing exports being enjoyed by Western multinationals.

    "The present system is created and led by developed countries, in which they have gained the most of the interests. As China is now merging into the global community, this system is being well followed," said Xu. "It is ridiculous that the one who gains more blames the one who gains less."

    The hegemony of large Western multinational companies on the global economy is even felt within the World Trade Organization (WTO). In the still-unsuccessful Doha Round WTO negotiations, developed countries on the one hand refused to make concessions on agricultural subsidies, but on the other hand asked for developing countries to open up their weak service sector to foreign investment.

    As Xu remarked, "For African nations, the best way to tackle the defects in the Western-led international trade system is to do more practical things and empower themselves instead of sitting still and blaming others." After all, whose oil is it anyway?

    By Ren Ke

    (EDITOR'S NOTE: This feature story is provided by China Features, the sole news service on the Chinese mainland offering by-lined feature stories, news analyses and opinion pieces in English, along with photos, about latest major events in China. Media organizations which want to commission China Features writers to do reports on China can send emails to chinafeatures@gmail.com or fax your requests to 86-10-63073673.)

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