Into the dark continent, without a flashlight. (*insert other catchy title that will make you read this here*)

China and I have this really bizarre love-hate thing going on. It's like I'm that girl at the NASCAR circuit that is constantly getting battered but I insist that he still loves me. Somehow I always give that middle country the benefit of the doubt. Recently, however, China's increasing attempts to establish relations with certain countries in Africa has left me with a black eye and seeking help with CAPSA. Ok, enough with the bad allusions to domestic violence. China has been mingling with a couple nations in Africa and their candid attitude toward no-holds-barred capitalistic expansionism and irresponsible foreign policy is leaving me trying to decide which side of the fence I want to be on. Two particular comments by the BBC caught my eye in a recent article;
"China also wants good relations with African countries in order to get their diplomatic backing in Beijing's ongoing wrangle with Taiwan. "

AND

"There are concerns about Beijing's willingness to do business with countries whose governments have been the subject of sustained international criticism like Sudan and Zimbabwe. China insists it is merely trading with these nations and adhering to its policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs"

First of all, the Taiwan issue is important; however, by attempting to gain allies and support through economic ties is hypocritical in the context of the second statement. If China is so convinced that it is not mingling with 'internal affairs' of other countries, how should the expect that the issue of Taiwan is legitimate reason for grabbing allies in Africa?!
Furthermore, I'm frustrated by the fact that Taiwan is becoming something China has the guts to seek allies over. Talk about international conflict. Didn't the assassination of Franz Ferdinand teach us anything about "you scratch my back and shoot my enemy and I'll scratch/ shoot yours?" teach us anything?
Furthermore, China "insists it is merely trading with these nations and adhering to its policy of non-interference in other countries' 'internal affairs." I'm less inclined to have a problem when the interests of the United States are encroached upon than I am to be upset when a country defies the U.N. altogether. Granted, the United States has done this on several occasions. Granted, a vast majority of U.S. citizens "is hates them darn foreign varmints!" Nonetheless, the U.N. is the only established international organization that we have to fall back on. If China also fails to criticize Sudan and other human rights violators, they avoid being hypocritical in some regard, but they also sour the legitimacy of the United Nations.
I'm sick and tired of my somewhat racist tendency to imagine the personification of average Chinese businessman being confirmed as someone who likes to talk about money (is greedy), wants virgin girls (is a-moral), and has bad teeth (I don't know what this symbolizes, maybe not taking care of himself) . China, stop beating me when I defend you and get some integrity, even the U.S., a country known for its international hypocrisy has the ability to occasionally say; "oh, murderous genocidal tyrant...nah, guess we'll leave that one alone for awhile... Gan Bei/ Ba-er/ cheers, Kofi."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4931668.stm