China-Africa: Jacob Zuma interview
NEWSWEEK: China has been investing aggressively in sub-Saharan Africa, a market that has been a natural place to expand for many South African companies. Is China a threat to South Africa’s interest in the region?
ZUMA: I don’t think you could avoid the types of activities we’re seeing in a free-market world. Given its history with Europe, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, in which aid has not necessarily helped, Africa sees the south-south relationships as being more important. China is taking advantage of that. It is a question of which companies are able to satisfy Africans. And they [other Africans] see South Africa as one of their own.