I am shocked to read that African countries are suffering from Chinese textile imports. (China in Africa - the new imperialism? Stephen Marks) It seems that the Chinese textile industry is simply wiping out its African competitors . Italian textile and shoe manufacturing is facing same hard competition from China. Here, in Italy, we blame the low-paid, hard-working Chinese workers. Should we think Africa is a worker's paradise, where people earn a high-salary for a few working hours?

Instead, is the Chinese textile invasion due to a commercial factor? I mean they sell their manufacturing surpluses at a low-price to African markets. Is the Chinese textile invasion due to a manufacturing factor? I mean African factories are badly managed and use obsolete technology .

Editors' Reply: It's a bit of a generalisation to say that African factories are badly managed and use obsolete technology, especially when the conditions for that manufacturing sector have been undermined. What comes first: People or Profits? In the case of Chinese textile imports, surely the issue is that in a sector where a local industry has been developed it does enormous damage when a global economic giant such as China - which can produce at a far lower cost, certainly not because of any advanced labour rights standards - is allowed to undercut local industry at huge social and economic costs to workers. What is fascinating is that there is such vehemence against the impact of China in Africa, yet the same outrage is sometimes lacking when it is USA, Europe or other advanced capitalist countries doing the same.