A Chinese minister recently likened Google’s promise to stop self-censoring links the Chinese government considers illicit to Chinese companies polluting and exploiting their way through Africa without consideration for African mores and laws. It’s a comparison that badly misfires. The Minister chose to compare Google’s behavior in China with the clear and wanton exploitation of entire nations on the continent. Though at surface China’s investment in African infrastructure has benefited some communities, many African nations are beginning to put the breaks on Chinese laissez faire investment that sees a one-way extraction of natural resources with little else than roads to show for a debit that can never be repaid to the bit of Mother Nature for which they are charged as stewards. From accusations of Chinese companies bribing entire governments through shoddy workmanship, Chinese companies are not endearing themselves to African citizens to the same extent Google has opened up the world to Chinese internet users. Should one of China’s oil companies threaten to pull out of Nigeria, for instance, will African citizens lay flowers at thesteps of the oil company’s Africa office? I doubt it.

Read more: WSJ

See also:

Chinese Overseas Direct Investment Hits a Wall

New Prescription Needed: Blurring a Bi-polar World

African Terms of Endearment