https://www.youtube.com/embed/JC9VgxiYM4I
BACK IN THE DAY, WHEN ONE COUNTRY WANTED TO TAKE OVER ANOTHER COUNTRY, THEY HAD TO BEAT THEM AT A WAR, OR THEY HAD TO RENT THE OTHER COUNTRY ON AIRBNB AND NEVER LEAVE. BUT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE A COUNTRY MIGHT TAKE ANOTHER OVER WITH THE STROKE OF A PEN. >> CHINA HAS RECENTLY BEEN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO TAKE OVER UGANDA'S SOLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IF THE EAST AFRICA COUNTRY FAILS TO PAY A $200 MILLION LOAN FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE SITE. >> AT THIS RATE, IF UGANDA FAILS TO REPAY THE LOAN, UGANDA'S ONLY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL SOON BE A CHINESE ASSET. >> IN RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC OUTCRY OVER THE LOAN AGREEMENT THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN UGANDA ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING: "NOT A SINGLE PROJECT IN AFRICA HAS EVER BEEN CONFISCATED BY CHINA BECAUSE OF FAILING TO PAY CHINESE LOANS." >> Trevor: WAIT, CHINA MIGHT BE THREATENING TO TAKE UGANDA'S AIRPORT BECAUSE OF A LOAN THAT MIGHT NOT BE PAID? MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, BUT THAT STATEMENT WAS NOT THE MOST REASSURING THING WE'VE EVER HEARD.
BECAUSE, "WE'VE NEVER CONFISCATED AN AIRPORT" IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM "WE'RE NEVER GOING TO CONFISCATE AN AIRPORT." IF YOU ASK YOUR SPOUSE, "PROMISE YOU'LL NEVER CHEAT ON ME," AND SHE SAYS "OF COURSE. I PROMISE THAT, UP TO NOW, I HAVE NEVER CHEATED ON YOU," SHE GONNA CHEAT ON YOU. AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING RIGHT NOW. "I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW AFRICA HAD AIRPORTS." FIRST OF ALL, (BLEEP) YOU. WE'VE HAD THEM SINCE THE 90s. ( LAUGHTER ) AND, SECONDLY, YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH THIS STORY. HOW CAN ONE COUNTRY TAKE ANOTHER COUNTRY'S AIRPORT? DO THEY JUST TAKE OVER ITS OPERATIONS OR DO THEY ACTUALLY GET ONE OF THOSE CLAW THINGS AND JUST SCOOP IT UP AND TAKE IT BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY? AND IF SO, CAN THEY DO THAT TO LaGUARDIA, TOO, PLEASE? BUT MAYBE THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS WHAT IS CHINA EVEN DOING IN AFRICA IN THE FIRST PLACE? WELL, LET'S FIND OUT IN ANOTHER INSTALLMENT OF, "IF YOU DON'T KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW." ♪ ♪ ♪ AFRICA: IT'S WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED AND WHERE YOU MISS THE RAIN FROM.
EVER SINCE THE AGE OF COLONIALISM ENDED, AFRICA HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO MODERNIZE ITS ECONOMIES AND CATCH UP TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. BUT TO DO THAT, IT NEEDS LOTS AND LOTS OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE: ROADS, RAILWAYS, PORTS, DAMS, CHEESECAKE FACTORIES. YOU NAME IT, AFRICA NEEDS TO BUILD IT. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT STUFF ALL COSTS A SHIT LOAD OF MONEY, MONEY THAT MOST AFRICAN NATIONS DON'T HAVE. BUT IN RECENT YEARS, MANY OF FARN COUNTRIES HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES A NEW SUGAR DADDY: ( AS TRUMP ) GYNA. >> OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, CHINA HAS BEEN PUMPING RESOURCES INTO AFRICA. THE COUNTRY HAS INVESTED HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ACROSS THE CONTINENT, RANGING IN EVERYTHING FROM TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO REAL ESTATE AND TECHNOLOGY. >> LARGE AFRICAN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WOULD BE VIEWED AS RISKY BY ANY TRADITIONAL BANK AND WOULD, THEREFORE, STRUGGLE TO GET FINANCED. BUT CHINA'S EXPORT-IMPORT BANK DOESN'T CARE. >> THIS BANK WILL GIVE LOW- INTEREST OR NO-INTEREST LOANS TO AFRICAN COUNTRIES SO THEY CAN BUILD THESE TRAINS OR DAMS OR OTHER PROJECTS. CHINA TOUTS THE FACT THAT THEIR FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND AID IS NO STRINGS ATTACHED.
WITH NO RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS OR DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS. >> WE DO NOT INTERFERE IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES, IMPOSE OUR WILL ON AFRICAN COUNTRIES, OR ATTACH ANY POLITICAL CONDITIONS ON ECONOMIC AID. >> Trevor: THAT'S RIGHT, BABY. CHINA HAS BEEN MAKING IT RAIN IN AFRICA. IT'S THE MOST MONEY ANYONE HAS SENT TO AFRICA WITHOUT BEING GUILT-TRIPPED BY A CELEBRITY SINGALONG. AND NO STRINGS ATTACHED. CHINA DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR GOVERNMENT OR HUMAN RIGHTS OR ANYTHING. THEY'RE BASICALLY THE "COOL MOM" OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCE. "YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS WANT TO PARTY THIS WEEKEND? COME DO IT IN OUR BASEMENT WITH YOUR CHILD SOLDIERS.
WE DIDN'T HEAR A THING." SO IN MANY WAYS, THIS IS A GREAT ARRANGEMENT FOR AFRICA. BUT MAYBE IT WON'T COME AS A SURPRISE THAT CHINA ISN'T JUST GIVING BILLIONS OF RISKY LOANS TO AFRICA OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF ITS HEART. >> MANY SCHOLARS SUGGEST BEIJING'S TRUE END GAME IN AFRICA IS NOT SOLELY FINANCIAL, BUT, RATHER, POLITICAL. >> THERE IS EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE THAT CHINA HAS BEEN USING THESE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS TO AFFECT WORLDWIDE POLITICS.
IT'S BEEN FOUND THAT IF AN AFRICAN COUNTRY RECOGNIZES TAIWAN AS A COUNTRY, THEY RECEIVE, ON AVERAGE, 2.7 FEWER CHINESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WITHIN THEIR BORDERS EACH YEAR. CONVERSELY, IF AN AFRICAN COUNTRY VOTES OVERWHELMINGLY ALONG WITH CHINA IN THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THEY RECEIVE 1.8 MORE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS EACH YEAR. >> AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER, 30 AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAVE HAD FORMAL RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN. NOW ESWATINI IS THE ONLY AFRICAN NATION TO RECOGNIZE THE ISLAND. >> Trevor: YUP, THAT'S THE POWER OF MONEY RIGHT THERE. ENOUGH OF IT CAN MAKE YOU SWITCH ALLEGIANCES, CHANGE YOUR PRINCIPLES, DO ANYTHING. HELL, FOR ENOUGH MONEY, YOU COULD PROBABLY GET AFRICANS TO START SAYING THAT AFRICA IS JUST ONE COUNTRY: "YES, YES, ONE BIG COUNTRY, FULL OF GIRAFFES. WHERE'S THE MONEY." STILL, CHINA HAS BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS. OUT OF ALL OF AFRICA, EVERY COUNTRY HAS BROKEN OFF RELATIONS WITH TAIWAN, EXCEPT ESWATINI. WHICH MEANS ESWATINI EITHER REALLY HAS PRINCIPLES THEY STICK TO, OR THEY HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THE DEAL YET.
"GOOD FOR YOU, ESWATINI, REFUSING THAT MONEY FROM CHINA." "WHAT, CHINA'S GIVING OUT MONEY? HELLO, TAIWAN? IT'S OVER. I'LL COME BY TO GET MY THINGS LATER." AND YOU MIGHT SAY, "WELL, TOUGH LUCK FOR TAIWAN, BUT SUBORDINATING YOUR FOREIGN POLICY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY IS PROBABLY WORTH IT IF IT MEANS GETTING ALL THIS INVESTMENT. I MEAN, THINK OF ALL THE JOBS THAT THESE PROJECTS CREATE IN AFRICA. AND IT IS TRUE, THESE PROJECTS DO CREATE JOBS. IT'S JUST THAT MANY OF THOSE JOBS ARE GOING TO CHINA. >> IN AFRICA, CHINA'S ESTIMATED TO HAVE WON ALMOST HALF OF ALL ENGINEERING, PROCUREMENTS, AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, BUT THOSE CONTRACTS HAVEN'T COME WITHOUT CONTROVERSY. THE COUNTRY'S BEEN ACCUSED OF UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES IN AFRICA, INCLUDING BRINGING IN ITS OWN WORKERS INSTEAD OF HIRING LOCALLY.
>> THE STEADY INFLUX OF CHINESE COMPANIES AND WORKERS HAVE FUELED ACCUSATIONS THAT WEALTH AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT BEING SHARED WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. >> WE ALL DO THE RAILWAY WORK, BUT THE CHINESE CONSTANTLY SAY, WE'RE THE BOSS. WE'RE THE ONES WHO RUN THE SHOW. >> THIS IS ETHIOPIA'S MAIN CHINESE ECONOMIC ZONE. THIS SMALL BUSINESS MAKES JEANS. EVERYTHING IS IMPORTED FROM CHINA SEWING MACHINES, METHODS AND SUPERVISORS. >> THE AVERAGE SALARY OF AN ETHIOPIAN WORKER IS $56 A MONTH, TEN TIMES LESS THAN THE AVERAGE CHINESE WORKER. >> Trevor: THAT'S RIGHT. WHEN CHINA INVESTS IN THESE PROJECTS, THEY OFTEN SEND OVER CHINESE WORKERS TO AFRICA TO FILL ALL THE BEST POSITIONS, WHICH ISN'T RIGHT.
THE BEST JOBS SHOULDN'T BE GIVEN TO A PERSON BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY ARE FROM. THE BEST JOBS SHOULD BE GIVEN TO WHOEVER HAS THE BEST ANSWERS IN A JOB INTERVIEW. "WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST WEAKNESS? AND DON'T SAY 'WORKING TOO HARD!'" "MMM... MASTURBATING IN PUBLIC?" "I LIKE YOUR HONESTY. YOU'RE HIRED." AND EVEN WHEN AFRICANS ARE EMPLOYED, THEY'RE TREATED DIFFERENTLY, SOMETIMES EVEN SEGREGATED FROM THE CHINESE WORKERS. AND THAT'S WRONG. I MEAN, WE NEED CHINESE AND AFRICAN PEOPLE TO SPEND MORE TIME TOGETHER BECAUSE OF ALL THE HIJINX THEY'LL GET UP TO. WE HAVEN'T HAD A "RUSH HOUR" SEQUEL IN, LIKE, 20 YEARS! SO CHINA IS GAINING CONTROL OVER AFRICA'S FOREIGN POLICY AND ITS BEST JOBS.
NOT TO MENTION, A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS PUT CHINESE COMPANIES IN CHARGE OF AFRICA'S PRIZED NATURAL RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY PRECIOUS METALS-- WHICH IS SUPER IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THOSE PRECIOUS METALS ARE IN BASICALLY EVER PIECE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY THESE DAYS: I'M TALKING EVERYTHING, CARS, APPLIANCES, ELON MUSK-- EVERYTHING. SO WHEN YOU START TO EXAMINE THIS RELATIONSHIP AS A WHOLE, IT ACTUALLY STARTS TO LOOK LESS LIKE A LOAN AND A LOT MORE LIKE A NEW KIND OF COLONIALISM. AND THAT'S BEFORE WE EVEN GET TO WHAT HAPPENS IF THE LOANS AREN'T REPAID. >> ANALYSTS HAVE ACCUSED THEM OF DEBT COLONIALISM. THERE ARE FEARS CHINA IS MAKING LOANS IT KNOWS THE STATES CANNOT REPAY. >> BEIJING MAY ENGAGE IN WHAT CRITICS CHARACTERIZE AS DEBT-TRAP DIPLOMACY, LENDING DESIGNED TO FORCE COUNTRIES INTO HANDING OVER LAND, MINERALS, AND STRATEGIC ASSETS WHEN THEY DEFAULT ON A LOAN. >> TO BUILD THIS BELT-AND-ROAD RAILROAD WITH CHINESE LOANS, KENYA AGREED TO APPLY CHINESE LAW INSIDE KENYA AND GIVE UP EAST AFRICA'S LARGEST PORT IF IT COULDN'T REPAY ITS DEBTS. >> SOME COUNTRIES ARE RELYING ON GRADUALLY REPAYING THEIR DEBTS TO CHINA BY SHIPPING SPECIFIC QUANTITIES OF OIL.
>> SOMETIMES, THE LOANS ARE REPAID IN NATURAL RESOURCES, SUCH AS COBALT. >> AS AFRICA'S LARGEST BILATERAL CREDITOR, CHINA HOLDS MORE THAN 20% OF THE CONTINENT'S DEBTS >> MANY AFRICAN COUNTRIES WERE ALREADY CRIPPLED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE MONEY THEY OWE CHINA. NOW THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR MANY TO KEEP UP WITH DEBT PAYMENTS. >> BASICALLY, CHINA HAS NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS WITH OUR AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHICH ARE SO EGRGIOUS IN BENEFITING CHINA, THEY COULD TAKE ALL OF AFRICA AT A FIRE SALE PRICE. >> Trevor: AH, YES, THE DEBT TRAP. IT'S LIKE THE THIRST TRAP OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
CHINA'S JUST STRUTTING AROUND WITH ITS RAILROADS HANGING OUT. WHAT IS AFRICA SUPPOSED TO DO? NOT HIT THE LIGHT BUTTON? I MEAN, SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT THE EUROPEAN COLONIZERS, BUT AT LEAST THEY WERE UPFRONT ABOUT IT. ( BRITISH ) "RIGHT, WE'RE TAKING ALL YOUR SHIT, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, GO TO THE U.N. OH, WAIT, THEY DON'T EXIST YET, BIATCH!" BUT WHAT CHINA IS DOING IS A LOT LIKE "TERMS AND CONDITIONS" THEY KNOW AFRICA CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO TAKE THE DEALS THEY OFFER, AND THEN WHEN AFRICA CAN'T PAY IT BACK, THEY'RE LIKE, "RIGHT, WE'RE TAKING ALL YOUR SHIT, AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, READ THE FINE PRINT, BIATCH!" SO, LOOK, THIS ISN'T A GREAT SITUATION FOR AFRICA.
AND THE REST OF THE WORLD REALLY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. ALTHOUGH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING I'VE LEARNED, IT IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT AFRICA. PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT MOST ISSUES UNTIL IT AFFECTS THEM PERSONALLY OR THEY'VE SEEN A MOVIE ABOUT IT. I MEAN, KILLERS CAN GET EXXONERATED BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'VE SEEN ON NETFLIX. MAYBE THE ONLY WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT AFRICA IS IF WE TURN IT INTO A MOVIE.
>> WE'RE HERE FOR YOUR AIRPORT. HAND OVER THE KEYS. >> WE WILL HAND YOU NOTHING! >> YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE WAYS OF OUR LAND OR OUR AIRPORT! >> TOO BAD. NOW IT'S CHINA'S AIRPORT. THE RUNWAYS, THE TERMINALS, THE SOGGY TUNA SANDWICHES THAT WE MADE IN 2019-- IT'S ALL OURS! >> BUT THE TERMS OF THIS DEAL ARE UNFAIR! >> WELL, THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE AY AGREED TO IT. DUUH! >> WE HAD NO CHOICE. TELL HIM, MAN! ♪ ♪ ♪ >> STOP DAYDREAMING ABOUT ZENDAYA! COME ON, MAN, CHINA IS ABOUT TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR AIRPORT. FOCUS! >> I'M SORRY, I AM FOCUSED.
CHINA, YOU ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AFRICA'S POLITE SO YOU CAN PLUNDER OUR RESOURCES. WHEN I SAY CHINA, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CHINESE PEOPLE, OF COURSE. >> OF COURSE, HASH TAG STOP ASIAN HATE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? THIS IS BEST DEAL YOU'RE GOING TO GET. >> PEOPLE CAN ONLY BE OPPRESSED SO LONG BEFORE THOSE PEOPLE EVENTUALLY GET TIRED OF OPPRESSION AND STAND UP! AM I RIGHT? ♪ ♪ ♪ STOP THINKING ABOUT ZENDAYA, MAN! WE'RE ABOUT TO LOSE THE AIRPORT! >> I DON'T KNOW WHY I KEEP DOING IT. IT'S NOT JUST DAYDREAMING. LET ME GO AND TRY TO FIND THIS LADY. YOU TALK TO THIS CHINA GUY. I'LL GET BACK TO YOU. >> I HOPE YOU GET EATEN BY A BIG-ASS WORM. >> WAIT, THIS IS PART ONE? HOW LONG IS THIS MOVIE? >> Trevor: SORRY, GUYS, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER QUALITY IF I HAD A BUDGET BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MONEY FRO.
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