Hilary Clinton made waves on her recent African trip while answering questions from Zambian television on China's presence in Africa. The U.S. Secretary of State said in Lusaka on June 11 that China was guilty of carrying out "new colonialism" in Africa, adding that she did not think China was a role model for governance. Her comments came when the Sino-African economic cooperation is growing rapidly. In 2010, the bilateral trade hit $127 billion. Many people hold differing views on Clinton's statement, some of which are as follows:

Rupiah Banda, Zambian President: Our country [Zambia] has been in a close relationship with China from the early years before independence. We got our independence in 1964 and we worked closely with the Chinese, as indeed with any other country that supported our desire to be independent.

During the recent global financial crisis, we were fortunate at the time that the Chinese were still able to continue their appetite for what we were producing here in Kopa. And I think that the whole world benefited from that and we were able to emerge from the financial crisis in the world sooner rather than later.

But those who come here to do business must respect our laws and must look out for our people in a different manner. And China is managing a very strong economy, and we know that they have done business with everybody. And as for the United States, we appreciate their being in this country that we don't exempt them from making sure that they follow the laws of our country.

 Nigerian Major General (Rtd) Ishola Williams: Clinton's warning is certainly not in the interest of Africa.

We need to look at the differences between the Western (the United States and the EU) approach and methods and the Eastern (China, India, etc). The difference is very clear like between Coca-Cola and Seven-Up. The African leaders know that and that is why the United States is worried over declining influence while Asian influence is rising. It cannot be stopped.

We need a policy of taking from the West what is good for us and also taking from the East what is good for us. We do not need a lecture on colonialism from Hilary Clinton.

Above all, we need intra-Africa solidarity and trade among ourselves similar to what the Asians and the Europeans are doing.

He Wenping, Director of the African Studies Office of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: U.S. Secretary of State's remarks to liken China's presence in Africa as "new colonialism" aims to estrange relations between China and African countries and maximize the U.S. interests in Africa so it will not be eroded.

The "new colonialism" talk lacks historical evidence or comprehensive and powerful facts and the United States is viewing the growth of Sino-African relations through some outdated "cold war mentality." The United States is again smearing China's aid to Africa and its normal business activities there.

It's baseless to say China is exploiting the African market through sales of cheap goods as the low-priced goods actually provide "affordable" commodities to Africans and improves their living standard.

There are no attached conditions in China's investment and aid to Africa, reflecting the country's clear stance of not interfering in African countries' internal affairs and fully respecting their independently-chosen growth paths.

Zhong Lei, Professor and Specialist of American Literature of University of International Relations: The U.S. Secretary of State Clinton launched a new war between New Colonialism and Old Colonialism in Africa, alongside the current NATO air strikes on Tripoli, Libya. The United States uses the excuse of anti-terror, weapons of mass destruction, democracy and freedom to invade the Third-World countries. They are expanding and spreading their military presence with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, perhaps even Pakistan and Libya. 

In the contemporary world, if the United States goes into another country, it is in the name of democracy; if China does it, it is seen as colonialism. The current African woes and environmental deterioration date back to the centuries of Old Colonialism on the African continent. Old European and American forefathers enslaved Africans, killed the majority of elephants and lions, extracted most precious gems and expanded the deserts. When they left, they left behind hatred, wars and conflicts many of these based on religious and ethnic values. They have a long imperial tradition of divide and rule, supporting one group against another. 

Seeking cooperation with the United States means being cautious about its exterior motives. China should not be soft on the U.S. wrongdoings around the world when trying to enhance its so-called soft power. On the contrary, China's soft power arises from the country's just position.