Has Zimbabwe become a Chinese colony?

China's growing investment and development in Sub-Saharan Africa, dubbed "The Next Empire" by The Atlantic's Howard French for its historic potential to reshape the continent and grow Chinese influence, is looking especially imperial these days in Zimbabwe. The impoverished pariah state, isolated by President Robert Mugabe's violent suppression of dissent, has put more and more of its economy and natural resources under Chinese control. The Asian giant, in return for its investments -- both in Zimbabwean infrastructure and in Mugabe's personal accounts -- has won near-exclusive dominance of everything from mineral rights to labor standards, as well as the apparent acquiescence of local politicians and police. Zimbabwe is far from a Chinese colony. The country is politically and militarily sovereign, but as China's economic hold tightens, the African nation's independence is becoming harder to distinguish.

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But don't feel too sorry for Mugabe -- Zimbabwe-watchers suspect that the autocratic president benefits personally from these kinds of deals from China. It's not hard to find the payoff -- he keeps a large (and heavily guarded) mansion in Hong Kong, where he is often seen on shopping sprees under the guard of Chinese special police. Mugabe also depends on his Hong Kong home for another reason: because the sanctioned leader cannot legally travel to Europe, he will need a place of safe refuge if he is ever ousted from power. The 87-year-old ruler even relies on Chinese medical treatment. Like the French-imposed monarchs of 19th century North Africa, or the Soviet-sponsored premiers of Cold War-era Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Mugabe is coming to depend on his Chinese sponsor for his personal economic and physical well-being. Full story...

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