China offers African countries attractive deals on infrastructure projects: delivered on time and on budget, with no questions asked. Poor infrastructure has been one of the greatest impediments to economic growth in Africa. Because of the poor condition or absence of roads and railways, it has been very expensive to transport goods from producers to markets. This has meant high prices for goods and an overreliance on subsistence farming at the expense of higher-yield agriculture.
According to Stephan Richter of the Globalist Research Center, the Chinese have a very different vision for the development of Africa from that of Western countries. The Western vision prioritises democracy-building over market-building. The Chinese vision prioritises market-building. Over the past 50 years progress towards fully functional democratic governments in African has been disappointingly slow.
Based on Africa’s experience, it is at least arguable that democracy-building cannot progress far until significant progress has been made with economic development. Economic development can create a vocal middle class which restrains the excesses of political leaders. Ironically, it seems as if the Westerners are the ones who have been touting ideological doctrines in Africa, whereas the Chinese are the ones who have been providing practical help.