How China wins hearts and minds

Beijing has used policies markedly different from those of the West to cement its friendship

Friendship between the China and Kenya has been sustained for many centuries, mainly through trade and tourism, especially along the coast of Kenya.

Among the Chinese commodities with the longest history in Kenya are ceramics imported to Africa from China as earlier as the 12th century, as shown by archaeological evidence. In recent times, the friendship between Kenya and China has grown to the point that it has become a topic for discussion in Western capitals, where concern has emerged about the intentions of China.

When China decided to open up and reach out to a world trampled by the West for many years, it sent shivers through the Western world. Negative propaganda emerged that put the West in a generally favorable light in a world it had dominated for centuries.

However, in recent decades Chinese foreign policy has undergone a massive review, leading to the emergence of legislation and powerful culturally responsive strategies to create and sustain friendship. These include economic policies, political and diplomatic overtures and cultural exchange programs.

In terms of economic policies, China's involvement in infrastructure contracts, including building roads, railways, bridges, military installations, stadiums and offices in Africa is immense. The Chinese offer lower prices but competitive quality, which has made them the partner of choice for generally less economically endowed countries in Africa. In Kenya, they are responsible for numerous projects, notably the celebrated Thika super highway and the standard-gauge railway now being built. They are also remembered for the construction of the Moi International Sports Centre, currently managed by Safaricom Kenya Ltd.

Initially, these contracts were a preserve of tendering from Israeli and Western countries, where most funding originated. Bilateral development between China and Kenya was quite limited and restricted because some of the Western funding was also affected by the friendship between Kenya and countries perceived to be a threat to the West. The United States and the United Kingdom, in particular, viewed Chinese overtures in Kenya and Africa generally with suspicion.

As expected, the entry of China into Kenya, the country strategically located in eastern and central Africa, turned political. This has been clearly revealed in the increase in propaganda against China's noninterference policy in its collaboration with other countries. This criticism is hypocritical because the West rode on the excuse of philanthropy and humanitarianism to invade certain countries where peace has never existed. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, and currently Syria are among the countries where the policy of intervention never worked.

In Somalia and Iraq, the West summarily escaped when it could not handle the outcome of the invasion, leaving the trouble to regional governments. The strategic exit from Afghanistan is now underway and the situation there is worse than it was at the start. The hardening of terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida and the emergence of Hezbollah, the Islamic State, and al-Shabaab, among others, is a more dangerous and uncontrollable outcome of interference in internal governance. There is no doubt whatsoever that this is the reason that the change of paradigm adopted by China has created ripples in this scene, sending other powers to reevaluate their foreign policies and engagements.

In its noninterference strategy, China has effectively targeted and exploited the cultural and social paradigms to fortify its relationship with other countries. In turn, this has expanded the political and economic cooperation between China and other countries.

In Kenya, for instance, the introduction of Chinese language in schools and the creation of learning centers including Confucius Institutes has been an avenue through which Kenyans learn about and appreciate Chinese culture. They are intended to demonstrate that a people's culture is not only their most reliable weapon for their own defense and survival but also the gift that can advance relationships and friendship with other peoples.

In order to advance its friendship with people from other countries, China has invested heavily in cultural and educational exchange programs. Confucius Institutes have been established at four universities in Kenya - Nairobi, Egerton, Moi and Kenyatta. At the University of Nairobi, there is a bustle of interest, with many students now enrolling to study Chinese language alongside their other specializations.

Instruction in Mandarin is available at certificate, diploma and degree levels. The bachelor's degree program in Chinese studies is also in place, and significant funding and support from China has been available. Already, graduates from these programs are taking up jobs in international organizations, particularly where frequent interaction with Chinese people is common.

The Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi is closely working with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to develop a flagship curriculum for the teaching of Chinese at secondary schools in Kenya. The Confucius Institute is also working very closely with the University of Nairobi's School of Education to establish the Bachelor of Education program to produce teachers for Chinese language. Indeed, a long journey starts with the first step. The strategy used by the Chinese government has certainly won the spirit of Kenya and many African countries.

The author is the dean of the School of Education at the University of Nairobi. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 11/20/2015 page9)