Reader's Comment on China/Africa Migration

It is natural and even unavoidable that an increase in Chinese FDI in African countries, especially in infrastructure projects, should result in an increaase in migration. It may even be argued that China follows a unique model of promoting projects which western countries don't. Western countries are unable to send labour force along with their investment. They don't have the low cost labour endowment nor can they afford them in the context of high costs such as wages, trasport, etc. On the other hand, China seems to have taken a lead in senidng its labour force along with its investment. Groups of Chinese labourers are sent to work on projects and they do not seem to create, at least for the present, any racial or ethnic tensions. Perhaps, they live in labour camps in isolation and are disciplined. It may be difficult to assume that such benign conditions may continue for long. In due course, they will have to absorb local labour and also the Chinese should get assimilated. What helps the Chinese on date is that they do not evoke the kind of antipathy which the colonial west does. Further, these are basic infrastructure projects which are 'visible' and get local approbation. They are not seen as exploitative investments as in the colonial years when all the mining was exported without any local linkages in terms of investment,industrial development, etc. In the coming years, we may perhaps see less of Chinese immigration and more of local sourcing. This is because Chinese labour itself is becoming high cost and regional expectations also change.