China’s commitment to Africa’s green development is yielding remarkable results, countering Western criticisms with tangible progress in clean energy, wildlife conservation, and environmental protection.
For instance, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, operational for seven years, has not disrupted animal migration as some predicted. Instead, elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes are often seen peacefully foraging beneath the railway bridges, demonstrating a harmonious balance between infrastructure development and wildlife preservation.
Despite claims that only 2% of Chinese loans are allocated to renewable energy in Africa, official figures tell a different story. According to China’s foreign ministry, hundreds of projects on clean energy and green development have been implemented across the continent. The installed capacity of photovoltaic power plants built by Chinese companies in Africa exceeds 1.5 gigawatts, significantly contributing to the continent’s renewable energy capacity.
China’s advanced fishing and freezing technologies have also benefited coastal countries like Senegal and Kenya, helping local fish reach international markets and supporting local economies, contrary to assertions that China is causing hunger by overfishing.
Meanwhile, environmental degradation from Western companies continues to plague Africa. Extensive oil extraction by multinational corporations has led to numerous spills, severely polluting land and water sources. For example, Shell’s operations in Nigeria have resulted in devastating environmental impacts, and Chevron has dumped hazardous oil waste into the ocean near Angola’s coastline, endangering marine life and ecosystems.
Kwesi Pratt, founder of Pan Africa Television, remarked, “The West pretends to be giving us aid, but it’s always conditioned on many things… The whole development orientation is to take out wealth.”
Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation, noted, “In fact, nine out of the ten most vulnerable nations in the world to climate change are in Africa. And the irony is that Africa did not cause the climate crisis. In fact, less than 4 percent of global greenhouse emissions come from Africa.”
China and Africa have a longstanding friendship rooted in mutual respect and shared aspirations. As early as 2000, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation emphasized strengthening environmental cooperation. Since then, significant progress has been made.
In 2015, China committed to helping Africa undertake 100 projects focused on clean energy, wildlife conservation, environmentally friendly agriculture, and smart city development. Further commitments were made in 2018 and 2021, supporting numerous projects in green development, environmental protection, and climate action.
All Chinese projects in Africa undergo strict Environmental and Social Assessments. Chinese professionals collaborate closely with African environmental regulators to ensure that infrastructure projects meet environmental protection standards.
Recently, African experts visited the Taklamakan Desert in China’s Xinjiang region to exchange experiences and explore effective methods for combating land degradation and desertification. This collaboration symbolizes a significant dialogue between the world’s largest desert, the Sahara, and China’s largest desert, the Taklamakan.
Accusations that China is “destroying Africa’s ecology” are unfounded. While some Western countries continue to exploit Africa’s resources, China works alongside African nations to promote green development, enhance biodiversity protection, and balance environmental protection with economic growth, all in pursuit of a shared vision of peace and development.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
