• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • Finance
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Political Humor
  • Tech

Op-Ed: CFR report on China’s Belt and Road-Will Africa Serves U.S. Geopolitical Interests

February 21, 2022
WATCH Steve Jobs becoming Steve Jobs in this 1981 interview

WATCH Steve Jobs becoming Steve Jobs in this 1981 interview

May 9, 2022

The Catalysts Of Africa’s Sustainable Development Trajectory

April 16, 2022
Why Should You Develop Offline Mobile Applications?

Why Should You Develop Offline Mobile Applications?

April 11, 2022
Airhouse closed an $11 Million Series A to power modern eCommerce operations

Airhouse closed an $11 Million Series A to power modern eCommerce operations

March 29, 2022
Houthi Leader Proclaims Support For Russia in Anti-Semitic Comment

Houthi Leader Proclaims Support For Russia in Anti-Semitic Comment

March 19, 2022
Real estate investment returns by property sector from 2012-2021 ranked

Real estate investment returns by property sector from 2012-2021 ranked

March 11, 2022
Photo-Essay: The Faces of Lake Buhi In The Philippines

Photo-Essay: The Faces of Lake Buhi In The Philippines

March 9, 2022
Op-ed: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and The End of Peace,

Op-ed: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and The End of Peace,

March 8, 2022
Despite GOP Efforts, Evan McMullin Will Appear on Utah Ballot

Despite GOP Efforts, Evan McMullin Will Appear on Utah Ballot

March 5, 2022
American Interfaith Leader Condemns Terror Attack in Peshawar

American Interfaith Leader Condemns Terror Attack in Peshawar

March 8, 2022
UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

March 2, 2022
Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

March 2, 2022
  • About
Thursday, May 19, 2022
  • Login
  • Register
Inside The Nation
  • Daily Buzz
    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    What You Need To Know About Appointees To U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council

    Biden’s Speech At Democracy Summit Calls For Action

    Op-ed: Give Joe Biden a Break

    Analysis: What Is Ahead For U.S. Markets In 2022?

    White House Releases Statement On The Occasion Of Orthodox Christmas

    Antonio Brown explains his Sunday football outburst

  • US News
    • All
    • EDUCATION
    An employee of Toyota in West Virginia. Photo via Toyota

    Toyota Invests in Appalachia EV Production

    Trump’s Other Muslim Ban

    What’s A College Degree Worth Anyway?

    MLB player banned from visiting family

    Biden’s Speech At Democracy Summit Calls For Action

    Op-ed: Biden’s Way Foward

    Antonio Brown explains his Sunday football outburst

  • Politics
    • All
    • international News

    The Catalysts Of Africa’s Sustainable Development Trajectory

    Houthi Leader Proclaims Support For Russia in Anti-Semitic Comment

    Houthi Leader Proclaims Support For Russia in Anti-Semitic Comment

    Photo-Essay: The Faces of Lake Buhi In The Philippines

    Photo-Essay: The Faces of Lake Buhi In The Philippines

    Op-ed: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and The End of Peace,

    Op-ed: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and The End of Peace,

    Despite GOP Efforts, Evan McMullin Will Appear on Utah Ballot

    Despite GOP Efforts, Evan McMullin Will Appear on Utah Ballot

    American Interfaith Leader Condemns Terror Attack in Peshawar

    American Interfaith Leader Condemns Terror Attack in Peshawar

    UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

    UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

    Putin Invades Ukraine. How Far Will He Go?

    Putin Invades Ukraine. How Far Will He Go?

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Freedom of religion or belief

    “Mulilateralism Lies On Its Deathbed” Says Kenya Diplomat in Powerful Ukraine speech

    The Biden-⁠Harris Plan to Revitalize American Manufacturing and Supply Chains

    The Biden-⁠Harris Plan to Revitalize American Manufacturing and Supply Chains

    • Political Humor
      UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

      UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

      Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

      Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

      Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Freedom of religion or belief

      “Mulilateralism Lies On Its Deathbed” Says Kenya Diplomat in Powerful Ukraine speech

      DON’T EXPECT THE FED TO END THIS BULL ANYTIME SOON

      Pugilist Kieth Thurman Speaks On The Importance of Black History Month

      Pugilist Kieth Thurman Speaks On The Importance of Black History Month

      Analysis: What Is Ahead For U.S. Markets In 2022?

      White House Releases Statement On The Occasion Of Orthodox Christmas

      Oped: Dictatorship or Democracy? The Case of Tunisia

      Op-ed: Tunisian fledgling path to democracy or political stalemate?

      Antonio Brown explains his Sunday football outburst

  • Business
    • All
    • Finance
    • Marketing
    • Tech
    WATCH Steve Jobs becoming Steve Jobs in this 1981 interview

    WATCH Steve Jobs becoming Steve Jobs in this 1981 interview

    The Catalysts Of Africa’s Sustainable Development Trajectory

    Why Should You Develop Offline Mobile Applications?

    Why Should You Develop Offline Mobile Applications?

    Airhouse closed an $11 Million Series A to power modern eCommerce operations

    Airhouse closed an $11 Million Series A to power modern eCommerce operations

    Real estate investment returns by property sector from 2012-2021 ranked

    Real estate investment returns by property sector from 2012-2021 ranked

    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    The Biden-⁠Harris Plan to Revitalize American Manufacturing and Supply Chains

    The Biden-⁠Harris Plan to Revitalize American Manufacturing and Supply Chains

    STRONG EARNINGS MOMENTUM TO START 2022

    U.S. MARKETS HAVE BEEN SKIING UPHILL

  • Entertainment

    Antonio Brown explains his Sunday football outburst

    Travel: Hidden Gems Near Tokyo For Day-Trippers

    Photo by Erik Drost of Enes Kanter via Wikipedia

    Shaquille O’Neal Criticizes Enes Kanter Freedom

    Photo by Erik Drost of Enes Kanter via Wikipedia

    NBA Star Enes Kanter Adds “Freedom” To His Name

    In a punk ‘Cruella,’ dogs play second fiddle to the designs

    In a punk ‘Cruella,’ dogs play second fiddle to the designs

    HBO Max welcomes back the cast of “Friends,” for a reunion

    HBO Max welcomes back the cast of “Friends,” for a reunion

    Florida takes the step to get into the Sports Gaming Business

    Florida takes the step to get into the Sports Gaming Business

    The top 50 grossing blockbuster movies in the last 30 years

    The top 50 grossing blockbuster movies in the last 30 years

    Genevieve O’Reilly talks about her new thriller The Dry opening today

    Genevieve O’Reilly talks about her new thriller The Dry opening today

    We talk with Jed Mercurio the creative force behind the BBC hit crime drama Line Duty that drops on BritBox this week

    We talk with Jed Mercurio the creative force behind the BBC hit crime drama Line Duty that drops on BritBox this week

  • Environment
    UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

    UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Freedom of religion or belief

    “Mulilateralism Lies On Its Deathbed” Says Kenya Diplomat in Powerful Ukraine speech

    DON’T EXPECT THE FED TO END THIS BULL ANYTIME SOON

    Pugilist Kieth Thurman Speaks On The Importance of Black History Month

    Pugilist Kieth Thurman Speaks On The Importance of Black History Month

    Analysis: What Is Ahead For U.S. Markets In 2022?

    White House Releases Statement On The Occasion Of Orthodox Christmas

    Oped: Dictatorship or Democracy? The Case of Tunisia

    Op-ed: Tunisian fledgling path to democracy or political stalemate?

    Antonio Brown explains his Sunday football outburst

  • Health
    UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

    UAE First Arab Country To Provide Aid Ukraine As Conflict Rages

    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    Hershey’s Creates Chocolate Bar to Celebrate All Women and Girls

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Freedom of religion or belief

    “Mulilateralism Lies On Its Deathbed” Says Kenya Diplomat in Powerful Ukraine speech

    DON’T EXPECT THE FED TO END THIS BULL ANYTIME SOON

    Pugilist Kieth Thurman Speaks On The Importance of Black History Month

    Pugilist Kieth Thurman Speaks On The Importance of Black History Month

    Analysis: What Is Ahead For U.S. Markets In 2022?

    White House Releases Statement On The Occasion Of Orthodox Christmas

    Oped: Dictatorship or Democracy? The Case of Tunisia

    Op-ed: Tunisian fledgling path to democracy or political stalemate?

    Antonio Brown explains his Sunday football outburst

No Result
View All Result
Inside The Nation
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Op-Ed: CFR report on China’s Belt and Road-Will Africa Serves U.S. Geopolitical Interests

In this op-ed

by Lawrence Freeman
February 21, 2022
in Politics
0
495
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Lawrence Freeman

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) March 2021 report: China’s Belt and Road: Implications for the United States, would be humorous, if it was not so pitiful. In the course of almost 200 pages, the CFR, the premiere think tank of the U.S. Establishment, maligns China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), but admits that the success of the BRI is the result of a failure of U.S. policy. The entire analysis is inherently flawed from the beginning because it proceeds from the axioms of the diseased doctrine of geo-politics, which views the world as a zero-sum game. Rather than understanding that the world is composed of human beings and sovereign nations who share a common interest, Anglo-American devotees of geopolitics only see two sides. In this case, China, and the U.S., where “an advantage to one side is a loss to the other.”

The CFR report is replete with a compilation of:

  • Contradictions
  • Speculation that BRI nations debt to China “might” or “could” lead to economic distress
  • China is not playing by the international rules imposed by Western international financial institutions
  • Recommendations that do not address the reasons for the success of the BRI, but instead propose new forms of political-economic warfare to undermine China.

The report’s Executive Summary bluntly states:

“U.S. inaction as much as Chinese assertiveness is responsible for the economic and strategic predicament in which the United States finds itself. U.S. withdrawal helped create the vacuum that China filled with BRI…it [the U.S.] has not met the inherent needs of the region.” (emphasis added)  

 

US Infrastructure Investment?

US stopped loaning money to Africa for infrastructure for several decades

It is well known that beginning in the 1970s, the U.S. moved away from investing in hard infrastructure. Hard infrastructure is essential to the growth of the physical economy. It is irreplaceable in providing a platform that is the foundation of a healthy economy. The U.S. abandoned the needs of the majority of the nations of the world and foolishly sabotaged the U.S. economy as well.

According to estimates by the World Bank sited in this report:

“…$97 trillion needs to be spent on infrastructure globally by 2040 in order to maintain economic growth and to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but an $18 trillion gap exists.”

The report acknowledges that Western financial institutions and governments do not fund hard infrastructure.

Should BRI nations be punished for trying to improve the lives of their population by accepting China’s financing help? The African continent, which has the largest infrastructure deficit in the world, encounters a gap upwards of $100 billion a year for essential infrastructure investment.

The report itself admits the global benefits of the BRI:

“Since BRI’s launch in 2013, Chinese banks and companies have financed and built everything from power plants, railways, highways, and ports to telecommunications infrastructure, fiber-optic cables, and smart cities around the world…BRI has the potential to meet long-standing developing country needs and spur global economic growth.” (emphasis added)

 

 Geopolitics Governs Western Thinking

If the CFR were genuinely concerned about addressing the huge lack of hard infrastructure that is keeping nations underdeveloped and forcing  billions of people around the world to live in poverty, they would propose the U.S. collaborate with the BRI. However, they are more concerned in trying to maintain U.S. unipolar dominance.

For those of you who do not know, the Council on Foreign Relations is a 100 year old arm of the Anglo-American establishment. Founded in 1921 as the American branch of the British Royal Institute for International Affairs, otherwise known as Chatham House, which was createdtwo years earlier. Chatham House was created by Lord Alfred Milner, then acting as Secretary of State for the British Empire’s colonies, through a vast trust funded by the estate of race-patriot Cecil Rhodes.

(Courtesy of slideshare.net)

The CFR report makes clear their fear of China usurping the U.S. as the one and only world superpower when they write that the BRI will “enable China to lock countries into Chinese ecosystems…“The report attacks China for the crime of violating the so called free-trade system by subsidizing “state-owned and non–market oriented Chinese companies” and that the BRI is “undermining world macroeconomic stability.”

Nevertheless, the report states: “The United States, even if not formally part of BRI, would likely benefit in some ways if BRI builds infrastructure that accelerates global economic growth.” (emphasis added)

The actual threat for the Western financial system, overburdened with quadrillions of dollars of derivatives and unpayable debts, is that it will be outperformed by China, dislodging the U.S. from its perch as the sole economic superpower.

No Debt Trap, Debt Crisis Instead

The CFR report is forced to admit there is no Chinese debt-trap, and no asset seizure.

“Although not setting explicit debt traps, China’s lending practices contribute to debt crisis along BRI.” However, “there has yet to be a case in which China has taken control of other countries’ infrastructure.”

Revealing their real concern, the report speculates, “the risk is clear that countries unable to repay their debts to China could become clients of China, deferring to it on political or strategic issues.”

The CFR report, while explicitly acknowledging multiple times that there is no debt-trap, argues that Chinese BRI loans are driving the “emerging debt crisis,” threatening todisruptthe global financial system. They write: “When these emerging debt crises in BRI countries materialize, they will undermine global economic growth and macroeconomic stability…”

They also allege that: “BRI participants [will be forced] to choose between meeting debt-service requirements to China or funding local economic recovery and critical medical services at a moment of historic crisis.” Isn’t that precisely what the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have been demanding of developing nations for the last several decades?

Gyude More, the former Minister of Infrastructure in Liberia, has on multiple occasions pointed out the fallacies of claiming that China is causing debt distress in African nations. He estimates that Africa’s debt to China is between 20-23%, with a handful of African nations responsible for the majority of the debt. Approximately 80% of the continent’s debt is owed to multilateral Western financial institutions, the private sector, and hedge funds.

Moore cogently points out that prior to China’s involvement in the continent, African nations were forced to pay debt service and arrears on unpayable Western loans. Africans also received no benefit from multi-billion dollar Western extractive mining interests that looted Africa’s resources, contributing little or nothing to improving the conditions of life for Africans. With China there is a new “win-win” model. Moore explains that natural resources are instead used to secure loans from China to actually build vitally needed infrastructure that benefits the lives of Africans. Why should African nations reject this arrangement, which also comes with no demands for political of financial reform of the host nation? The West “doth protest too much, methinks.”

CFR Proposals: Impotent or Geopolitical?

The recommendations of the CFR report are a combination of impotency and geopolitical idiocy, arrogantly displaying no respect for the sovereignty of BRI nations. However, the report itself affirms that China’s BRI is a reality across the globe, and it is here to stay. All of the recommendations in this report avoid addressing what the BRI is providing; government subsidized credit for the construction of hard infrastructure. Instead, they recommend for the U.S. to menacingly wage geopolitical propaganda war against China and the BRI. Their suggestions include for the U.S. to; raise awareness of BRI risks, fund investigative journalism in BRI countries, champion anticorruption, work with IMF and World Bank to assess debt sustainability for BRI nations, and prepare for a conflict with BRI countries.

Notice the glaring absence of a positive development policy that promotes real economic growth around the world, demonstrating the bankruptcy of U.S. foreign policy, as well as the CFR.

Lawrence Freeman is a Political-Economic Analyst for Africa, who has been involved in economic development policies for Africa for over 30 years. He is the creator of the blog: lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld.com. Mr. Freeman’s stated personal mission is; to eliminate poverty and hunger in Africa by applying the scientific economic principles of Alexander Hamilton.

Comments
Lawrence Freeman
+ posts
  • Lawrence Freeman
    #molongui-disabled-link
    Op-Ed: Biden Administration Must Focus On Development, Not Regime Change With Ethiopia
Share198Tweet124Share35SharePin45
Lawrence Freeman

Lawrence Freeman

    Subscribe To Our Newsletter

    Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from the ITN Network.




    We respect your privacy. Please read our Privacy Policy. You can opt-out of emails at anytime.

    Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
    • Trending
    • Comments
    • Latest
    Hitman shoots husband and kills son of Judge overseeing Deutsche Bank Epstein trial

    Hitman shoots husband and kills son of Judge overseeing Deutsche Bank Epstein trial

    July 20, 2020
    Tanzanian President Samia’s trip to Europe Is a Strategic Move

    Tanzanian President Samia’s trip to Europe Is a Strategic Move

    February 18, 2022
    Op-Ed: Biden Administration Must Focus On Development, Not Regime Change With Ethiopia

    Op-Ed: Biden Administration Must Focus On Development, Not Regime Change With Ethiopia

    December 13, 2021
    The Role of AI in Human Resources

    The Role of AI in Human Resources

    1
    Points of View: Right Wing versus Left Wing One Century of the Bolshevik Revolution

    Points of View: Right Wing versus Left Wing One Century of the Bolshevik Revolution

    0
    Points of View: Right versus Left Manafort, Business Partner Indicted on Conspiracy Charges

    Points of View: Right versus Left Manafort, Business Partner Indicted on Conspiracy Charges

    0
    WATCH Steve Jobs becoming Steve Jobs in this 1981 interview

    WATCH Steve Jobs becoming Steve Jobs in this 1981 interview

    May 9, 2022

    The Catalysts Of Africa’s Sustainable Development Trajectory

    April 16, 2022
    Why Should You Develop Offline Mobile Applications?

    Why Should You Develop Offline Mobile Applications?

    April 11, 2022
    Inside The Nation

    Copyright © 2020 Inside The Nation.

    Navigate Site

    • About

    Follow Us

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Daily Buzz
    • US News
    • Politics
      • Political Humor
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Environment
    • Health

    Copyright © 2020 Inside The Nation.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    OR

    Fill the forms below to register

    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In

    Sign up to best Trending News, Politics, Finance in United States.

    Get special offers that you won't ever find on our blog·

    Invalid email address
    We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time
    Thanks for subscribing!