One of China’s largest and most powerful construction companies, with operations all over Africa, discharges local employees if they test positive for HIV. Chinese companies are not known to be paternal in their dealings with employees. Where there is discrimination in Africa by Chinese firms it is mostly social and implicit.

Enduring wage disparities and outdated and imbalanced tax structures are seen as contributors to growing inequality, where neither the U.S. nor China are immune. Business, government and civil society leaders must come together to ensure the quality of education is improved to meet the demands of a technology-driven knowledge economy.