China a credible partner for Africa, scholars say

ACCRA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- China has always been a credible partner for Africa and the partnership is bound to prosper, some Ghanaian and Chinese scholars have said.

Speaking at a media seminar organized on June 21 by the Africa-China Center for Policy and Advisory, a think tank based in Ghana, Paul Frimpong, executive director of the center, said the China-Africa partnership that spanned decades has delivered win-win results.

"Take the infrastructure area for an example, China has always provided a more efficient and cheaper alternative for us, and that has brought so many benefits for African people," he said.

Frimpong also commented on the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, saying the infrastructure projects under the initiative across Africa have significantly helped propel the development of the continent.

Responding to the "Chinese debt trap" fallacy promoted by some Western media, the Ghanaian scholar said that "it is a fact that China is not trapping anyone, and we know what we want as a continent."

Frimpong further called on the media outlets in Ghana to report on China in an objective manner, provide reliable information for the public, and "tell the whole story."

Wang Jimin, a professor at China's Zhejiang University of Technology and the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Ghana, told the media that a credible partnership between China and Africa could also be seen in the increasing number of African young talents studying in China with the help of Chinese scholarships.

"Ghana is currently among one of the African countries with the highest number of students studying in China, and dozens of Ghanaian students have just secured their scholarship this year, and we are confident that the number will see a big increase next year," Wang said.

China has always been committed to providing educational support to African students asking for nothing in return, Wang noted, adding that "we are expecting them to have good job opportunities and contribute to the development of their own countries."

Wang believed that the future of China-Africa cooperation is bound to be bright as more and more Africans have come to see the tangible benefits of this win-win partnership. "Seeing is believing," he said.

The one-day media seminar was joined by some 30 local media outlets, scholars and experts.