History points at the disastrous outcome of ethnic-based economies that led to a few Europeans dominating the continent.

The national economic structures have offered minimal benefits to African people in view of the fact that they were tailored to simply supply raw materials to global markets.

Africans have been paralysed by foreign domination, leading to the paradox of stunted growth amid wealth in natural resources. Shall China’s relations with Africa be the antidote to the paralysis?

The force driving China into Africa varies slightly from the one driving Western countries.

Both are interested in energy and raw materials from Africa. Western countries remain key drivers of economic activity in Africa, with incentives that go beyond imposing their values on the continent to that of fear of immigrants from Africa.

China-Africa relations while largely pegged on import of raw materials, are driven by China’s positioning as a major global player. Africans are paralysed by fear of continued Western domination and Chinese immigrants shifting base to the continent.

China’s relations with Africa offer a catalytic element towards the achievement of a continental socio-political economy. Africa transitioned from pre-colonial ethnic economies that were largely driven by seers, chiefs and kings to economies constituted by colonial infrastructure.

The continent is currently grappling with building regional economic blocs driven by both local and international interests keen on an efficient market system. China’s re-entry into Africa has opened up a new ocean of possibilities.

Africa can strategically tap into China’s appetite for natural resources to push for infrastructure development. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce estimates that between the year 2000 and 2006, Chinese companies contracted over 6,000km of roads, 1,350km of railway and 1,600km of new railroad.

The non-prescriptive element in the China-Africa relations offers an opportunity for Africans to build a positive image about the continent; to restore confidence in their abilities to tackle the continent’s challenges and to scale up a cultural revival.

Africans must discard the paralysing effect caused by the erroneous mindset that solutions to the continent’s challenges reside in foreigners. The surge in intra-African investments in construction, banking, retail, education and hospitality sectors is a positive signal for the continent.

The multilateral environment provided by Chinese interest in global affairs offers the continent an opportunity to voice their concerns and push for democratic international institutions.

The Forum on China Africa Co-operation (Focac) offers an opportunity to engage China with positive outcomes in mind. China has widened Africa’s menu for choice from the traditional focus on Western countries.

A wider menu, in itself, will not produce positive results unless Africans invest in informed choices. The Focac initiative provides a framework from which African countries can evolve a unitary strategy to reap from economies of scale and strengthen the continent’s negotiating position globally.

Mr Shikwati is the director, Inter-Region Economic Network, and publisher of The African Executive Online Magazine