In Tanzania, Beijing is running a training school for authoritarianism

[applegrove]

In Tanzania, Beijing is running a training school for authoritarianism

Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, author of Axios China

This story, part of a series supported by the Pulitzer Center, is a joint investigation between Axios and Danish newspaper Politiken.

https://www.axios.com/2023/08/21/chinese-communist-party-training-school-africa

"SNIP..........

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — The Chinese Communist Party is teaching African leaders its authoritarian alternative to democracy at its first overseas training school — the strongest evidence yet that Beijing is exporting its model of governing in its push to challenge the Western-led world order.

Why it matters: The Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania is Beijing's counter to efforts by the U.S. and other Western countries to shape African politics in a fight for influence on a continent rich in raw materials and energy. At the school, the CCP teaches how it fuses the ruling political party and the state, marking a clear departure from Beijing's previous, more subtle attempts to peddle influence on the international stage.

Cultivating an authoritarian-friendly political bloc could help China reshape global institutions and guarantee markets as Western sanctions seek to isolate certain Chinese industries. Such a bloc would also help the CCP deflect criticism for its human rights record and gain international support for its core interests, such as its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Chinese and African government officials and Chinese state media have presented the school as a way to promote Africa's economic and social development, and they've cast the CCP's approach there as a way to alleviate poverty and spur economic development through training effective leaders.

.........SNIP"

Applegrove:

Tanzania had the greatest leadership in the years after independence. It is so sad to see this.

[Recycle_Guru]

1. sounds like the CIA good old days

[hedda_foil]

4. School of the Americas, Chinese takeout version.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

31. Thread winner!

[WarGamer]

2. China, Russia, BRICS... the dumping of the $USD the world be changing.

[Recycle_Guru]

5. sounds a bit melodramatic-- who is dumping the USD? some nations would love that

but no rush by world economy to do so. BRIC is so 2007.

[WarGamer]

7. They certainly want to...

Question is, how long will it take?

https://apnews.com/article/dollar-dominance-brics-summit-global-economy-d4322e1f99480962eccc05628a0ddb64

[Recycle_Guru]

8. quite a long time--as article asks

what would be most suitable reserve currency other than USD? Nothing attractive comes to mind.

[WarGamer]

9. I don't see a new global currency

I see a greater diversity of currencies being used.

If China, Russia and Brazil use, for example... the Yuan... it's penetration into global reserves will grow. As China spreads it's footprint, they'll insist countries use a non-Dollar currency.

[Recycle_Guru]

11. based on their instability I don't see it

[Alexander Of Assyria]

33. Control of their own national currency value versus the dollar...has brought stability to

their form of capitalism. During Covid China was the only major economy NOT to drastically slash interest rates and flood the nation with cheap money and massive consumer debt… the intent being control of domestic debt…or face deadly future inflation that could not be easily controlled like America or hard currency nations can…print and borrow more paper. See Argentina.

The logical next step is not being being perpetually forced to control national currency value versus the default commercial American dollar.

The relationship between national Central Banks policy, and why, is a difference that is all the difference.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

32. Yep. Shackled to the American dollar not much different than shackled to a slave ship.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

3. Africans can decide for themselves whether this is good for their nations

Don’t need western handwringing and.. distortion as usual.

No one has sent warships to force these nations into partnerships, as some nations once did.

Now they decide independently as sovereign nations…their decision, nation after nation, is to turn East.

Because…they remember, no mass amnesia.

[Recycle_Guru]

6. the US is doing the same--but not so assiduously

because unlike China, US has very strong allies:

UK, France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea, Australia, NZ, most of Europe, India, Brazil

[WarGamer]

10. India and Brazil are BRICS nations...

[Recycle_Guru]

12. that is true but that was always just an arbitrary grouping of developing

powerhouse economies--no relevant political or economic ties among tjose 4

[WarGamer]

13. yet.

We're heading to a future that's less US-centric...

I'm an old school progressive and think that's a good thing.

[Recycle_Guru]

14. I will agree with that--definitely heading to less US centric world

[former9thward]

18. India and Brazil do not support the U.S. sanctions on Russia.

[Recycle_Guru]

21. so? we don't support Modi's attack of Muslim minorities in India; still allies

[Alexander Of Assyria]

34. Yes. Don't support Bonesaw murders, but still allies with King Bonesaw.

Americans are not in the best position to point out others failings and hypocrisy, is it’?

Might does not make right. The eastern and southern world is waking up to that.

[shrike3]

16. China invested a heck of a lot of money in Africa, so naturally it's going to be listened to.

[Torchlight]

36. Doesn't need Chinese distortion either.

Like you said, no mass amnesia, right?

[shrike3]

15. One of the great vacations of my life was a safari in Tanzania.

The people we met were lovely and so proud of their country. Such a shame this is happening.

[applegrove]

17. I've always wanted to go to Tanzania.

[former9thward]

19. Beautiful area.

I was there in 2005 to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

[applegrove]

20. There used to be a "glamping" trip down the east cost of Africa that

followed the site of major anthropology discoveries. I'm a rural person when it comes to travel, visiting rural villages would have been fun along with the lectures by profs along the way at each campsite. Plus the wildlife in places like Kenya and Tanzania. Sadly they don't offer that trek anymore.

[former9thward]

22. That does sound like fun and certainly interesting.

[applegrove]

24. Well Kilimanjaro is a real accomplishment. It must have been gorgeous.

[former9thward]

25. I have done my share of climbing in the Rockies, Andes and Himalayan ranges.

But Kilimanjaro was the most fun. Since it is almost on the Equator as you climb you go through all five of the earth's climatic zones: Tropical, Dry, Temperate, Continental, and Polar. You see the vegetation and wildlife familiar with each of the zones as you go up.

[applegrove]

29. That must be incredible. Could you see the land below or were there

clouds? I bet you could see really far in Kenya and Tanzania too.

[former9thward]

35. There were a fair amount of clouds below.

You can see some of the clouds in post #26. But definitely could see land all around. They said you can see the Indian ocean on a very clear day but I could not see it.

[applegrove]

37. Ahhhhhh! Sounds glorious.

[Snooper9]

23. you climbed Kilimanjaro @19.4k feet!

you better have pictures!

[former9thward]

26. Oh yeah, a lot.

Glaciers at the top

[Snooper9]

27. I'm actually bowing right now :)

And getting on the treadmill!

Greatness!

[shrike3]

28. Hope you get to go. You'd love it. n/t

[applegrove]

30. Maybe some day.