Western companies have gradually lost ground in the African market, yet Western media outlets have become more vile, venting their dissatisfaction on China. Given the tremendous scale of China-Africa trade, it’s not difficult to find fault with it. Western media is especially adept at fabricating stories that would tarnish China’s image.

This is the real portrayal, absurd as it may be, of China-West competition in Africa. Chinese people are known for their diligence in their cooperation with Africa, but for Western countries, media is their most potent force, with reports as their most powerful tool, in Africa.

Recently, CNN accused Beijing of spying on the African Union headquarters and claimed that Chinese firms defeated their Western counterparts in Africa by bribing local officials. These reports are either fabricated or nonsense.

Some Western companies are only keen on making big bucks, and attach conditions to their investments in Africa, toward which African countries feel antipathy.

As their business rivals, the Chinese are willing to take risks and work in a down-to-earth style. In addition, Sino-African cooperation involves all industries, from high-end to low-end, without any political conditions. China’s triumph over the West in the African market is inevitable.

Before the huge success of Sino-African cooperation, the West had never valued Africa. Only a few high-level officials from Washington visited the continent. Discrimination and prejudice against Africa can be easily discerned in Western media, films and TV shows. The West has never seen Africa as an equal partner, and views assistance to Africa as a way to educate it.

China treats Africa as its equal and cooperative partner, and it is from Beijing that Africa, for the first time, has gained respect from the outside world. Africa’s potentiality and enthusiasm for cooperation have thus been unprecedentedly tapped. Sino-African economic ties are built upon cooperation, while the West’s with the continent are a continuation of ties between colonizer and colonies.

Some Westerners may not understand the essence of the Sino-African cooperation. There are also some who are fully aware that the West cannot learn from China and make corresponding changes. Jealous of Sino-African ties, they can only react by lashing out at China.

Allegations that China bribes local officials to win the African market are particularly absurd. China’s infrastructure projects in Africa are awarded through public bidding. Chinese enterprises in Africa follow strict financial regulations. This, combined with recent years’ anti-corruption campaign, makes bribery even more difficult. There is no evidence to prove that bribery is more likely in Chinese companies than in Western ones.

We caution all Chinese enterprises doing business in Africa that Western media and intelligence agencies are scrutinizing Sino-African cooperation with the intention to tarnish China. Chinese companies and businesspeople must abide by laws and never think of buying convenience, for which they will pay a heavy price.