The hat of neo-colonialism will never fall on China.” That is a standard refrain from Chinese officials these days. Why in the world is China, that self-proclaimed champion of the Third World, having to defend itself against the accusations of neo-colonialism?

As the world wakes up to the rapidly rising Chinese economic and political profile in Africa — being showcased this week in Beijing by the first ever summit of the continent’s leaders outside the region — the word ‘neo-colonialism’ is increasingly being associated with Chinese economic and foreign policies towards the developing world.

Before they celebrate the new discomfiture of China, Indian Sinophobes should be aware that similar charges are also levelled against India. Beijing is the bigger target than New Delhi for Western liberalism, because China has been more aggressive than India in pursuing its economic interests in Africa and Latin America.

Western activists argue, not entirely accurately, that the unfolding rivalry between China and India is similar to the scramble for Africa among rival European colonial powers in the 19th century. Irrespective of the analogy, India is certainly competing with China for oil and mineral resources in Africa. New Delhi might be way behind Beijing; but it is on the same road.

Last week, Paul Wolfowitz, the president of World Bank, slammed Chinese and Indian economic policies towards Africa. Even as he quickly retracted at the storm of political reaction from China, Wolfowitz underscored the point that Beijing and New Delhi should not repeat the mistakes of the US and the West in bank-rolling for decades such unsavoury regimes as that of Mobutu Sese-seko in Zaire.

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