By Morris Wambua

China’s Expanding Footprint in Africa: Roads Over Rainbow Flags

At a summit in Beijing earlier this month, President Xi Jinping pledged an astounding US$51 billion in loans, investments, and aid to Africa, signaling the deepening of what has been a long-cultivated
relationship.

Unlike Western powers—who love to preach democracy while importing rainbow flags and unsolicited lectures on “inclusivity”—China’s focus is refreshingly grounded in what truly matters: roads, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure that actually works.

What a concept!

Instead of exporting social experiments that no one asked for, China’s looking to invest in brick-and-mortar development, and African leaders, not surprisingly, are paying attention.

For decades, the West has tried to mold Africa in its own image, using a playbook that includes democracy, human rights, and various flavors of modern-day colonialism. They love to parachute into these countries, deliver inspiring speeches on "freedom," and leave as soon as it’s time to actually build something.

Meanwhile, China’s bulldozers are already paving highways, laying railway tracks, and connecting ports to cities. Not a pride parade in sight, just cranes and cement trucks.

It’s almost like Beijing thinks African countries need real development instead of Western lectures on progressive values.

Imagine that!

The Chinese Way: From Idealism to Infrastructure

China’s focus on Africa isn't new, but its strategy is nothing short of revolutionary—at least when compared to the Western world’s tired, neo-imperialist approach.

Since the 1950s, Chinese foreign ministers have made Africa a priority, often choosing it as their first stop on international tours.

Beijing’s deep understanding of Africa’s needs has evolved through decades of close engagement, driven by trade, infrastructure development, and political diplomacy.

However, what really separates China from the West is the absence of paternalism. Beijing isn’t interested in teaching Africa how to be “civilized,” enlightened, or woke.

You won’t find Chinese officials lecturing African leaders about inclusivity or showing up to meetings armed with NGO-backed agendas to reshape local traditions.

What you will find are engineers, construction companies, and heavy machinery.

While Western democracies invest in "freedom," China invests in what African nations are really asking for—working hospitals, operational schools, and highways that make commerce possible.

Western Criticism: ‘Debt Trap’ Diplomacy or Sour Grapes?

Of course, China’s rising influence in Africa hasn’t gone unnoticed by the West.

Whenever Beijing announces a shiny new investment package or a megaproject partnership, Western politicians and media leap into action, invoking their favorite talking point: debt-trap diplomacy.

Critics point to the case of Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port, leased to China after the country defaulted on its loan payments. This is Exhibit A in the West’s argument that China is ensnaring developing countries in inescapable debt—offering shiny new infrastructure in exchange for political leverage.

But let’s not get too carried away.

After all,Western democracies have been playing this same game for decades.

When Western investors bankroll projects that go south or exploit local economies, it’s called “development.” When China does it, suddenly it’s sinister.

Debt, we’re told, is only bad when it’s Chinese debt.

Isn’t that convenient?

Even South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa had to publicly shoot down these tired tropes during the Beijing summit, pointing out that China’s investments are fundamentally different from Western
"aid" (read: strings-attached charity) because they focus on real development.

No one likes to talk about the West’s failed investments that have left entire African economies hobbled under crippling debt, but they sure love to obsess over China’s loans.

African Needs vs. the Western Agenda

Here’s where the rubber meets the road.

While the West is busy exporting cultural wars to Africa—lecturing leaders on gay rights, gender identity, and democracy—China is shipping over actual construction materials.

You won’t find Chinese diplomats waving rainbow flags in African capitals; they’re too busy signing contracts for new highways, ports, and power plants.

While Western politicians try to turn Africa into a playground for progressive policies, China is focused on pragmatic development.

It’s almost as if African leaders—who are dealing with populations that need clean water, reliable electricity, and functioning healthcare—prefer real investment over condescending lectures on democracy and inclusivity.

Who would’ve thought?

Western nations talk a big game about “freedom” and “human rights,” but their investments often come with so many strings attached, it’s hard to tell where the funding stops and the foreign interference begins.

China’s approach, on the other hand, is simple: Here’s some money, build something.

No lessons on democracy, no insistence on changing cultural norms, just good old-fashioned development.

For many African nations, that’s a deal worth taking.

Chinese construction firms are reshaping Africa at a pace that the West can only dream of. Roads, bridges, and railways are being built across the continent, connecting previously isolated communities and spurring economic growth.

These are not theoretical projects or endless studies sitting on a bureaucrat’s desk. They are real, tangible improvements in infrastructure that people can see and use.

Take, for instance, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country’s history, funded and built by China. Critics can harp all they want about debt concerns, but the fact is this railway is operational, transporting goods and people efficiently across the country.

Meanwhile, Western nations prefer to “study” these projects for decades, with little to show for it at the end.

Chinese-built infrastructure isn’t about spreading propaganda or forcing African nations to sign long-winded charters on human rights.

It’s about development.

Real, brick-and-mortar development that changes lives.

The West’s Missed Opportunity: Ideology Over Investment

So why is the West so up in arms about China’s involvement in Africa?

The answer is simple: jealousy.

For decades, Western nations have viewed Africa as a region to be shaped in their image, a blank
canvas for their ideological experiments.

Whether it's democracy, human rights, or LGBT rights, Western governments have made it their mission to export their values to African countries, often with disastrous results.

But here’s the problem: Africa doesn’t need Western nations' lessons on “freedom” and “equality” when its roads are falling apart, its healthcare systems are underfunded, and its economies are struggling.

Africa needs jobs, schools, and hospitals—not rainbow flags and lectures on inclusivity.

China’s approach is refreshingly free of the ideological baggage that Western nations carry into every negotiation.

African leaders are not blind to this.

They know that Western nations love to show up with foreign-funded NGOs pushing agendas
that are out of sync with local traditions. They also know that China offers a different deal: investment with no strings attached, no cultural colonization, just business.

It’s no wonder, then, that China’s influence is on the rise.

Of course, no one is saying China’s approach is perfect. Some of its projects have disproportionately benefited elites, while bypassing the average citizen.

Take, for example, the expressways in Nairobi and Kampala. Critics argue that these roads serve the wealthy more than the general population, leaving behind the rural poor.

This is a valid criticism, and one that China has started to address.

Unlike the West, which often abandons projects after failure, China is recalibrating. President Xi Jinping’s recent shift to focus on “small and beautiful” projects signals a willingness to listen to African leaders and adjust their strategies. By aligning more closely with local needs, China is positioning itself as a more flexible, responsive partner.

The Sovereignty Question: A Real Concern

 That said, there is a legitimate concern that China’s loans could jeopardize African sovereignty.

The fear is that if countries default on their debts, they could lose control of key national assets, such as ports or power plants, to Chinese firms. This has already happened in places like Sri Lanka, and African nations must be cautious to avoid the same fate.

But let’s not pretend this is a problem unique to China. The West has been pulling the same stunts for decades, wrapping their economic exploitation in the shiny packaging of “freedom” and “democracy.”

African leaders are aware of these risks and are not easily fooled by the West’s sudden concern over their sovereignty.

After all, they’ve seen this movie before.

China’s Currency Ambitions: Challenging the Dollar

Beyond infrastructure, China is also making moves to challenge the dominance of the U.S. dollar in Africa. By encouraging more transactions in renminbi, China is offering African nations an alternative to Western financial systems, which often come with strings attached.

Countries like Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa are already entering into currency agreements with China, and this shift could have significant implications for the global economy.

Naturally, the West sees this as a threat, but it’s hard to argue that the global economy should forever be dominated by one currency.

China is offering a genuine alternative, and African nations are taking notice.

Real Development, Real Risks

In conclusion, China’s engagement in Africa represents a stark contrast to the West’s ideological colonization.

While Western nations are busy exporting cultural wars and democracy, China is building roads, schools, and hospitals—real solutions for real problems. But this isn’t to say that China’s involvement is without risks.

The threat of debt default and the loss of sovereignty is very real, and African nations must navigate this relationship carefully.

That said, when compared to the West’s endless debates about identity politics and inclusivity, China’s focus on infrastructure feels like a breath of fresh air.

Roads get built, ports get dredged, and people’s lives improve—all while the West remains obsessed with exporting its democracy, one rainbow flag at a time.

FAQs

1. Is China’s presence in Africa creating debttraps?
China’s investments come with risks, particularly around debt default, but African leaders are navigating these challenges while benefiting from much-needed infrastructure projects.

2. How does China’s approach differ from Westernnations in Africa?
China focuses on practical development—roads, schools, and hospitals—without the ideological strings attached, whereas Western nations often tie investments to social or political agendas.

3. What are the benefits of China’snon-interference policy?
China’s non-interference policy allows African nations to focus on economic growth without external pressures to adopt values or systems that may not align with local traditions.

4. What happens if an African nation defaults on aChinese loan?
In extreme cases, China may take control of key assets, as seen in Sri Lanka. African nations must manage their debts carefully to avoid losing sovereignty over critical infrastructure.

5. Why is China pushing the renminbi in Africa?
By encouraging more transactions in renminbi, China aims to challenge the U.S. dollar’s dominance and offer African nations an alternative to Western financial systems.