The need for patience and persistence

Chinese companies need to work hard to develop a strong presence in French-speaking Africa

While more people are realizing that China and Africa enjoy an important relationship, some people may think that the same does not apply to the continent's former French colonies, where France's interests tend to be more entrenched.

Although this view is not correct in general, it does remind us that "French-speaking Africa" and "English-speaking Africa" have some important differences that can affect Chinese companies operating on the continent.

Most of Africa was once ruled by European powers, especially Britain and France.

Even after those colonies became independent sovereign states, they remained inextricably linked with their former colonial rulers in culture, language, politics, military affairs and economic matters. That is why sub-Saharan Africa can be roughly divided into "French-speaking Africa" and "English-speaking Africa".

It is not surprising that the West exerts a strong influence over African countries, but we may wonder why France cherishes and clings to the traditional ties more eagerly than Britain.

Considering the overwhelming advantages of the English world over the French world and France's nostalgia for its old glory, it is easy to understand that France, with a population of only 66 million, needs French-speaking countries to support its status as a permanent member of the United Nations and its influence in international affairs. However, more important reasons may be their similar cultures, geographic closeness, complementary economies and their interdependent politics.

With such a background, we may find that it is logical for France to support French-speaking African countries by monetary union, regular summits, military cooperation and extensive economic aid and for those African countries to prefer to use French technology and to deal with French companies.

However, France's place in the world has diminished greatly and continues to decline. France's GDP was $2.6 trillion in 2013, which is only 28 percent of China's and 43 percent of Japan's. Its GDP grew by 0.4 percent in 2013, while China's grew by 7.8 percent.

Many of the French-speaking African countries are realizing that their economies are growing more slowly than those of the English-speaking African countries. With further globalization, the 23 French-speaking African countries, which account for a quarter of Africa's total population, will seek more equal dialogue with France and more integration into the globalization process. So they may, on the one hand, maintain traditional ties with France and, on the other hand, welcome economic cooperation with other countries, among which China is naturally a strategic economic partner.

Though we might expect French-speaking African countries to diversify their economic cooperation, differences in language and culture and inertia in their economies and politics, may well hamper this process.

Like many Latin countries, the French-speaking African countries place more emphasis on leisure, a green economy and agriculture, which means that they may be more worried than their English-speaking counterparts that China's economic participation could harm their environment, disrupt their lifestyle, take their resources, and increase competition in traditional low-end industries.

On the one hand, these countries have developed as exporters of raw materials and fossil fuels and may continue to maintain their relations with France given their traditional geopolitics, and they will be more careful in developing similar relations with other countries.

On the other hand, we can see signs that they are more open for global cooperation. We may find that more people in these French-speaking countries are learning English. We may also find that some of these countries are establishing special economic zones to attract investments from various countries.

However, for some small countries, the effect of globalization may not be as important as a more flexible foreign policy. They may strengthen ties with France and push back other international cooperation at certain times. Gabon might be one country to do this. Though it has a population of only 1.5 million, 80 percent of them speak French, giving Gabon the largest French-speaking population in Africa. Moreover, its per capita income is much higher than China's, and it may need better technology to achieve more sustainable and better-balanced economic growth.

In such a situation, Chinese companies may feel that they will encounter more difficulties in expanding markets in French-speaking African countries. But the truth is that the complementary relationship between Africa and China does exist in French-speaking African countries and is constantly gaining strength. What those companies need is more research, more flexibility and more patience.

The author is a lecturer at the Management School of Shanghai University and a research fellow at the China Europe International Business School Lujiazui International Finance Research Center.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/04/2014 page9)