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advance
news
in
the wake of today's WORLD EVENTS
•
Sino-Soviet Rivalry in Africa
In December 1963, Premier Chou En-lai of China
safaried through Africa. He conferred with 10 chiefs of
state and met about 200 cabinet ministers. His bold com–
ment that Africa was ripe for revolution was followed
soon afterward by cries of
Uhrtru
(freedom from colonial
powers). A wave of independence declarations cascaded
throughout the continent.
But Chinese delegations in Africa soon fell into dis–
favor and many were sent packing to Peking. Overag–
gressiveness brought the Soviets in Africa into similar dis–
favor. By the mid-1960's, the Chinese had been expelled
from Burundi, Dahomey, the Central African Republic,
and Ghana. Communist partíes - both Peking and Mos–
cow brand - were proscribed, suppressed, and outlawed
in various African nations. The sixties marked the low
tide for Communism in Africa.
Today, the Chinese dragon and the Russian bear are
once again familiar on the African landscape and, with
new tactics, are thriving better now than they did in the
sixties. No direct confrontation has occurred between
them, though they are still very much vying for power.
Each is attempting to outmaneuver the other in a battle for
iofluence on the Dark Continent. Their principal wea–
pons are development aid programs.
The rivalry is essentially an extension of the world–
wide Sino-Soviet ideological split originating in the early
sixties.
In the contest for spheres of influence, the Russians
have the advaotage and are ahead of the Chinese - due
to superior Soviet resources. The USSR has made clear her
willingness to establish relatioos with
a11y
African nation
- socialist-oriented or not. About three dozen African
natioos are trading with the Soviet Union, and Moscow
has diplomatic relations with over thirty of them.
The Chinese daim that, though the USSR may have
more to offer, China demands less. Unlike the Soviet
Union, the Chinese grant interest-free long-moratorium
loans. Also, the Chinese condemn "creeping capitalism"
in Russia and claim that while the USSR is out to "exploit"
10
African nations, the Chinese are in Africa to "help."
During the past 10 years, Peking aid to Africa was
only one quarter as much as the total Soviet aid. But the
Chinese are gaining ground. About one half of Peking's
overseas aid now goes to Africa. Cbina's biggest single
overseas aid project is in Africa - the 1,100 mile "Tan–
zam" railway line, which stretches across Tanzania into
Zambia.
Additional African nations are thinking about estab–
lishing relations with China - especially since the be–
ginning of Sino-American rapprochement. But the Western
(U. S. and West European) sphere of influence in Africa
is for the present still greater than Russia's and China's
combined.
•
Expanding Common Mart
Causing Friction
"American business has entered the Olympics of
international economics." Speaking in early February, U. S.
Commerce Secretary Peter G. Peterson announced that
"America is competing against the very best that other
countries, all bent on victory, can produce ...."
The United States has indeed lost many of its long–
standing advantages in world trade. A prime factor - the
expanding Common Market.
Numerous difficulties have arisen between the U. S.
and the EEC, due mainly to the Community's constantly
expanding preference zone. EEC preference treaties with
outside countries are causing strong competitive dis–
advantages for U. S. trade policies.
In Washington's eyes, this is poisoning Europe's rela–
tionship with the U. S.
When Great Britain, Eire, Denmark, and Norway
assume official membership in the EEC in January, 1973,
the 10-nation Community will have special trade arrange–
ments with about
50
countries in Europe, Africa, and the
Middle East. These trade policy preference arrangements
will affect about one quarter of mankind
!
In 1961, the British formed EFTA (European Free
Trade Association) in competition with the EEC. But now,
with three EFTA countries - Great Britain, Denmark, and
PLAIN TRUTH Moy 1972