Is China smartening up its environmental and social act in Africa? It certainly wants to be seen as doing just that. One telling example was the recent Chinese government-sponsored ‘top Chinese enterprises in Africa’ competition, won by China Road and Bridge Corporation [CRBC]...Another Chinese award winner is China Merchants Bank...of the third annual Green Banking Innovation Award...In July 2009...China’s ministries of commerce and environmental protection published draft ‘Guidelines on the Environmental Behavior of Chinese Foreign Investors’. The guidelines emphasise the social and environmental responsibility of Chinese companies and banks abroad, and foresee the creation of appeal mechanisms for ‘local controversial projects.’ But how far does this indicate a likely real shift in the behaviour of Chinese companies on the ground, and how far is it simply a Chinese version of the ‘greenwash’ for which Western companies and governments have themselves long been notorious?...[also refers to Chambishi Metals, China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), Lu’an Group mine, Pingyu Coal & Electric Company mine, Sinohydro, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China]