The Chinese people commonly seen by Malagasy are either local Chinese shopkeepers integrated into the community, or restaurant owners serving food that has become a staple in the local diet. Then there are the ‘new’ Chinese involved in high-tech cybercrime, who often manage to evade justice through systemic loopholes, disappearing before they can be held accountable.
Furthermore, there is the influx of low-quality goods—fragile metal, brittle plastic, and hazardous electrical wiring—that flood the market due to a lack of strict standards. This issue extends beyond goods to the unchecked entry of people and even invasive species.
In October 1889, Dr. Rajaonah, son of Rainandriamampandry, wrote ‘Japan and the Japanese’ after returning from his studies in Edinburgh. He urged his compatriots to reflect on the path to development long before the global rise of brands like Toyota or Sony. This spirit of national pride was later championed by Pastor Ravelojaona through the VVS movement. Rainandriamampandry himself, a patriot executed by Gallieni in 1896, remains a symbol of national struggle.
The Malagasy have yet to learn from the ‘right’ kind of Chinese—those who, like the Japanese before them, studied Western progress to modernize their own nation. Since Deng Xiaoping’s reforms, China has observed, adapted, innovated, and eventually surpassed its mentors. It is time for Madagascar to send missions to study these successes and apply those lessons to address the shortcomings at home.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-21 06:38:45 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/soa-fianatra-ho-enti-mody.html