By Eric Teo Chu Cheow

Beijing's Sino-African summit will bring together possibly the largest number of African heads of state and government ever assembled.

No one can doubt the importance of this summit to both China and Africa. Its significance cannot be under-estimated at a time when Beijing is actively building its contacts with Africa. Chinese leaders have always stressed the importance they attach to the continent. And both Chinese and African leaders have stressed the need for a "mutual consolidation" of their relationship.

As China prospers, its role as a developmental model for Africa becomes more and more important. Chairman Mao's famous advice to "teach how to fish instead of giving developing countries the fish" is often quoted by African leaders. And China's phenomenal "indigenous development" is held in high esteem in Africa, especially in recent years, with African leaders attempting to emulate the nation's sustainable development.

The present Chinese leadership has also been generous in providing assistance and technology transfers to African nations, especially coinciding with this year's African tours by President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

China's State-owned companies have poured investment into Africa, although some private entrepreneurs still have reservations about venturing into a continent they are not particularly familiar with and where they believe risks could be high, unlike in "better-known" Southeast or Central Asia.

African leaders, meanwhile, see the "Chinese model" as more applicable to their economies than the example of the West, especially given China and Africa's common agricultural base and level of rural development.

Moreover, unlike Western aid, Chinese economic and technical assistance does not come with stringent conditions.

China is not buying up or appropriating African resources for its own benefit without sharing the wealth a charge often levied at "selfish Western interests" in the continent.

Chinese businessmen, engineers and technicians, however, are still prepared to run the risk of being kidnapped or robbed while working in high-risk parts of Africa.

Not to forget the risk financial grants and loans to Africa, just like everywhere where there is instability, come with.

Yet despite the risks, World Bank officials are today touting the success of China as an example of sustainable development for Africa. Ahead of the recent 61st International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank Meeting held in Singapore in mid-September, the "Chinese model of development" was revealed as a la mode in African developmental thinking today, with international economists seeing China's success in socio-economic engineering as something Africa could emulate.

And this model of sustainable economic development will be underscored by China at the Sino-African Summit.

The recent Sixth Plenum of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in early October underlined the importance of China's "harmonious society" concept, as a complement to its "harmonious world" concept for international relations.

This "harmonious society" concept is in line with the current credo of building a "new socialist countryside," passed into policy by the National People's Congress at their last legislative sitting in March. It also supports the central government's "san nong" policy of "agriculture, villages and farmers," which aims to better balance rural and urban development and revenues in China.

The importance and significance of the concept of a harmonious society cannot be understated as the real credo behind China's rapid development, as it seeks to bring farmers into the middle class and help them participate in the modern consumer economy, thus consolidating social stability in China.

China's great social experiences are thus of great value to Africa, as the continent attempts to take off economically, as China and the rest of Asia have.

In fact, some African economies have begun showing signs of credible economic growth over the past year, as the continent emerges from years of neglect.

Moreover, as the World Bank acknowledges that globalization alone may no longer necessarily deliver the fruits of social progress and re-distribution, policies styled after China's "socialist countryside" concept may be needed to help consolidate social stability, justice and progress in Africa.

The timing of the Sino-African Summit is therefore very fortunate for both China and Africa, aiding both sides' internal development and mutual relationship.

This link between China's "new socialist countryside," "harmonious society" policies and African development will certainly be strongly reiterated at the Summit, linking China and Africa closer once again. And this is what the summit will ultimately be remembered for.

The author is a council member at the Singapore Institute for International Affairs.
 
(China Daily November 1, 2006)