Africa, Space and the Chinese

For this 68-hour trip is only a step away from China manning a mission to the moon. That could be do for China what 1969 USA expedition to the moon did for the Americans - lifted their confidence beyond belief and asserted their supremacy in international affairs - something that has, sadly and tragically, never quite subsided.

Similarly China's technological display might have enormous repercussion in the coming years especially in regard to the Asian bloc and its dealing with the rest of the world - including its rather nervously seated neighbours like India and Japan.

Now I understand it's a major landmark - but I can't help feeling a sharp sense of amazement with anything to do with space or space technology. And this is especially the case when it comes a poor country whose population might be merely making ends meet. Where does a country like China get the money to develop rockets when most of its people are desperately poor? In other words, what good will this space mission do for its people, a significant proportion that lives below the subsistence level?

Isn't this - inadvertently, of course - just a clever way of diverting our attention away from pressing matters? Take, for instance, its horrendous abuse of humans rights or perhaps, just as importantly, its morally dubious dealings with African countries like Somalia, Angola, Zambia and Tanzania which falls a little short of what could be seen as the start of a ruthless age of Chinese imperialism.

In the last ten years, for instance, almost a million Chinese entrepreners with almost a thousand companies have set up businesses in African countries - all engaged in the excavation of Africa's raw materials like copper and petroleum. It has made deals with corrupt African leaders who are solely interested in lining their pockets despite the chaos of civil wars, aids and famine.

According to The Times this (this year alone) has already produced a profit of roughly $6b. One Chinese critic estimates that it will eventually need to send another 300m people to discharge its businesses in the next couple of decades - that's how extensive China's programme in Africa is. Understandably it's what some people have termed 'the great Chinese take away'.

For the time being, its taking part in space technology is only likely to build China's confidence to conquer the Africa - economically at least, if nothing else.

So when you see the Chinese astronauts walking in space in a day or so, just think the balance of power is shifting away from the west - particularly America - and towards the Orient. And, like it or not, the Imperial age is upon us once again....