2017年12月12日，在肯尼亚内罗毕举行的首届中非工业能力合作博览会期间，一家中国公司的代表正在介绍产品。

6月18日，美国国务卿蓬佩奥在底特律经济俱乐部发表演讲时称，美国将在非洲发力，驱除中国在非洲的影响力，让非洲采纳美国的经济发展方式和政治模式。此言是特朗普政府上台后美国高官在涉及非洲发展问题上为数不多的表述，至少反映出美国在非洲的“一份焦虑”和“一种决心”。

“焦虑”的是美国在非洲发展进程中影响力越来越式微，展示的“决心”则是美国要发力驱除中国影响，把非洲重新绑上“美国模式”的战车。

其实，发明“软实力”概念的美国应该很清楚地知道，一国发展模式能否被他国参考、学习和借鉴，依靠的是模式本身的魅力和吸引力。如果这一模式在不同国家及地区相似的发展基础和环境下取得了发展成功，并彰显对社会公正及人类共同发展福祉的追求，则该发展模式将自带吸引力光环，无需强推，更无需靠驱除他国影响力来搞强力介入或植入。

曾记得，二战结束后初期，非洲等广大新独立的前殖民地和半殖民地国家在发展道路和模式选择问题上，面临着“走资本主义道路”还是“走社会主义道路”的困惑。由于对资本主义的前西方宗主国在殖民统治、资源掠夺、奴隶贸易等方面的负面和伤痛性记忆，新独立的许多非洲国家从情感、道义及发展理念上都无法选择这种发展模式。而当时以苏联为代表的社会主义国家所焕发出的巨大经济发展力以及对社会公正、平等及国际新秩序的诉求成为吸引这些新生独立国家纷纷选择“社会主义模式”的重要参考依据。

同理，冷战结束前后，由于苏联在外交和理念层面日益凸显强权和霸权意识，随着苏联解体（其经济发展困境无法支撑其与美国进行的军备竞赛），以苏联为代表的“社会主义模式”自然光环褪落，大多数非洲国家也纷纷从宪法中删除了“社会主义”字样。由此可见，一国模式是否有吸引力和影响力，主要取决于该国自身社会政治经济发展的表现以及该国在对待他国外交行为和理念上的平等、合作以及“他者意识”。

回看一年多来特朗普制下的美国外交，美国在推动国际合作以及非洲发展方面都呈现的是消极态度和萎缩趋势。特朗普政府不仅削减对非发展援助，退出一系列有关非洲发展的国际倡议及国际组织（如针对气候变化问题的《巴黎协议》以及推动教育及人权发展的联合国教科文组织和联合国人权委员会），就连特朗普本人也不时在推特上发布一些蔑视非洲的轻慢言论（如所谓的非洲“粪坑国家”言论）。如此种种，如何能使美国模式成为非洲国家向往的灯塔呢？

另外，非洲在21世纪发展的道路上正在积极探索和创新符合自身国情的发展模式。非洲不需要被强制纳入任何国家的发展模式之中。究竟参考、学习或借鉴哪些他国的发展经验与模式，这也完全是非洲国家的自主选择。至于能否驱除中国在非洲的影响力，恐怕秉承自我利益独大的“美国优先”理念，与推动和非洲国家共商共建“一带一路”、实现共享共赢的“让世界更美好”的“人类命运共同体”理念，就像两股道上跑的车，孰高孰低高下立判。非洲国家和人民有足够的智慧和勇气走自己的路，选择适合自己借鉴的他国模式，并探索符合非洲历史传统文化与经济社会基础的非洲发展模式。

A representative of a Chinese firm introduces products during the first China-Africa Industrial Capacity Cooperation Exposition in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 12, 2017.

During his speech at the Detroit Economic Club on 18 June, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked about America taking more actions in Africa to remove Chinese influence there and to steer the continent towards economic development and political models more similar to that of the US. This statement reflects US anxiety on Africa.

America is anxious about its declining influence in the course of African development and is determined to eliminate Chinese influence there and yoke Africa to the war chariot of the American model again.

As the country in which the 'soft power' concept was invented, the US should know very well that whether a country is informed by and draws upon another's development model relies much on the attraction of the model itself. If it is successful in different countries and regions and embodies mankind's pursuit of social justice and common development, the development model is naturally attractive and there is no need to force it on people or eliminate other countries' influence.

After World War II, the vast number of newly independent former colonies and semi-colonies in Africa were puzzled by the choice between a 'capitalist' or 'socialist' path. With the 'negative' and 'painful' memories of colonial rule, resource plundering and slavery by former Western suzerains following the capitalist path, many African countries found it impossible to choose the Western model. On the other hand, at that time, socialist countries as represented by the former Soviet Union demonstrated great economic vitality, social justice, and equality, thus attracting newly independent countries towards the socialist model.

Upon the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Soviet socialist model was discredited as the economy no long supported its arms race with the US. Most African countries removed 'socialism' from their constitutions. Arguably whether a model is attractive and influential hinges on its performance.

A review of American diplomacy under Trump in the past year suggests that the US has a negative attitude towards and shrinks from international cooperation and African development. The Trump administration has not only reduced development aid for Africa and withdrawn from a number of international initiatives and organizations pertinent to African development, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, UNESCO, and the UN Human Rights Council. Trump himself has made cavalier comments about Africa time and again. How could this make the American model the lighthouse for African countries?

Besides, Africa is also actively innovating its own development model. Africa does not need to be forced into any other country's model. It should be African countries' independent choice to reference or learn from other countries' experiences or models. Then will the US be able to drive Chinese influence out of Africa? Between 'America First' on the one hand and Belt and Road initiatives and a community of shared future for mankind on the other, it's probably quite apparent to many which is better. The African nations have sufficient wisdom and courage to follow their own path, choose a suitable model based on their own history, tradition, culture, and socioeconomic foundation.