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Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

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Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#41

Okay that's enough China bashing threads. On the positive side, China has in the past waived some debts of African countries, which don't get to top of HN. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-xi-pledges-60-billion-to...

What'd they get out of it? These actions don't exist in a bubble, neither do those.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#42

I'd say it's worth it for Kenya, these are huge money-losing projects anyway,

China has two major projects to dam up the white nile and the blue nile upstream from Egypt and Sudan (who curreently use 90% of the Nile water) Ethiopia, and Kenya will take control of the Nile and the two countries that currently consume 90% of the Nile water will be starved into submission by their Chinese landlords through taxes and fees over water. China needs a port for their Navy so they can 'protect' their 'investment'. There are many Chinese projects ongoing in Africa and there are whole towns that look like they were imported from China.The concept of 'lebensraum' and the hunger for growth among the powerful continues to disrespect geographical boundaries that gave rise to the magnificent diversity on this planet. The only loss that I mourn is the set of unique cultures and heritage of the many people inn Africa. The great homogenizer (capitalism, growth,etc) will obliterate the diversity on that continent. OTOH, maybe the hybrid vigor of Afro-Chinese offspring will give rise to a new more robust strain of humanity.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#43

Could the USA or an european nation offer to pay the loan in exchange for taking over the port? Itd be cool to swoop in on this deal.

Globalism is not very popular in the West right now.

Taking vindictive actions against authoritarian regimes never goes out of style.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#44

Could the USA or an european nation offer to pay the loan in exchange for taking over the port? Itd be cool to swoop in on this deal.

so china taking over the port is bad but it's OK if USA does it because they will make it a freedom port?

If my IP can be protected, then yes it is probably infinite times better for it to be a Freedom Trade Port than the Port of The Dictator's Party

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#45
post #8

Could the USA or an european nation offer to pay the loan in exchange for taking over the port? Itd be cool to swoop in on this deal.

Russia swooped in to help Venezuela it’s possible there’s an oligarch out there who might be interested. Suppose it depends on the leverage they could get from their state.

imagine mr. bezos with port authority

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#46

As with any sales there could be that factor of China trying to sell more of their product/services(just like US does to sell weapons in various nations) but I find it strange that people are trying to politicize it being debt trap and trying to garner sympathy towards the defaulter than towards the victim who didn't get paid.

It's because it's very clear that China's intent with such loans is to create a casus belli for such seizures or create complete economic reliance. Nobody is going to sympathise with a predatory loanshark when they don't get paid and use it as an excuse to grab what they really wanted all along.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#47
Before we throw about the term "Imperialism", let's remember what kinds of things the European powers did that are rightly considered part of it:

- Violently forcing "trade" to happen, often under an "East India Company". You can have cannon balls or opium.

- Forcing the local administration to learn the language and legal system of the imperial power. Why do they speak English in Kenya?

- Suppressing local rule. How many people had to die in independence wars?

- Moving people around who didn't want to be moved. Plantation Rum anybody?

To compare current China with something like the British Empire is not very reasonable.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#48

So this is Economic Hitmen 2.0. China watched and learned from what the US did in South America.

"The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" talks about China moving into the loans and takeover market, following in the footsteps of the United States.

Re: Chinese may take over Mombasa port: Ouko

#49

I see these stories popping up every now and then usually from debatable sources and people continue to believe them because they fit "the suspected plot" even when concerned parties deny them. I hate to sound like that conspiracy guy but could it just be that some people are not happy with China getting into partnerships with African countries? Edit: typo

An acquaintance travels around Africa relatively frequently and his observations seem to be in line with the OP article sentiment. From China’s perspective it makes a lot of sense to buy up Africa, it’s a resource rich continent and was essentially given up by the west.
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