I think what they did in Africa is fantastic compared to what the western powers did for over a century, building infrastructure (mostly for extraction, but also civilian use) is much better than the western world funding warlords to capture mines for slave labor to fund our electronics fetish. Instead of causing more harm they gave them a bad deal, but much better than anything the west offered in which they funded groups of militia that caused harm to the common people. If you consider the alternative, it is much kinder, I wish the US would use less shock and awe, but when it refuses to build infrastructure even in its own country, what do you expect? The US is not a building civilization, its power and culture is warmongering and resource extraction, not long term planning outside the US or internally.

America as the world police/bully and China leverages itself by being slightly better. The US should offer a better deal than China can, its better than bombing the shit out of people, scaring them with weapons, and having them hate us for killing their countrymen or family.