China turns toward Africa

This post contains commentary followed by an extensive list of articles on China's role in Africa.

China's interests in Africa have long been known, but in the last six months, there has been an amazing proliferation of "China goes to Africa" articles in the international media.   

While the rest of the world often views Africa in the context of a donor-recipient relationship, China views Africa as a central part of its strategic plan, most notably for its oil reserves (China’s demand for oil far outstrips its supply) and for its markets for manufactured goods. The Chinese perceive American influence in Africa to be less entrenched than it is in the rest of the world, thus offering unique opportunities for China to pursue its economic interests.   

The question on everyone’s mind is what effect – for good or for evil – China’s expanding role will have on the continent.

As the blog “China in Africa: A New Colonial Power?” asks, will China’s ambitions in Africa constitute a “new round of colonialism” or “an opportunity for real development”?

My guess is a little bit of both.

What makes the Chinese different from the Americans is that they are willing to do business virtually anywhere and with anyone. On the one hand, that is a positive. The Chinese are more willing to invest in post-conflict countries and to open businesses or broker trade deals in environments that many American or European companies would deem too risky.

But that also means the Chinese are willing to do business with some very questionable people. In the case of oil-rich Sudan, the Chinese have heavily invested in infrastructure development and have even sold war planes and other military equipment to the government in Khartoum, a regime thought to have committed war crimes against its own people in Darfur. China has also sold military equipment in Zimbabwe, despite the arms embargo, and has offered assistance in improving the government’s ability to jam independent radio stations and filter the internet.

For my part, I have never been completely sold on this critique. While cause for concern, China is playing the same game all world powers play. How much training, military equipment, economic aid, and other implicit or explicit support has the United States given to questionable regimes in the last fifty years? (Not to mention engaging in full-out war). I would bet it would outstrip China by some exponential factor.  Democracies are not any more or less realpolitik than "communist" governments, nor, as recent world events suggests, are their publics necessarily better at functioning as constraints on their exercise of power.

On balance, I suspect most African leaders welcome Chinese involvement. If anything, it offers governments an alternative to American and European hegemony and the prescriptions of Western-run institutions like the IMF and the World Bank. Competition may give African governments more bargaining power vis-à-vis donor governments and perhaps force some to see Africa’s economic development as part of their own self-interest, and that (I hope) will be a good thing.     

Use the links below to learn more about a really interesting and emerging topic.   

Photo: Chinese President Hu Jintao receives Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in Beijing this past July.

Soft diplomacy:     

"China Wages Classroom Struggle to Win Friends in Africa," Howard French.   New York Times, November 20, 2005 .      
"China's Soft Power in Africa: From the "Beijing Consensus" to Health Diplomacy" by Drew Thompson. China Brief, October 13, 2005.

Trade:
“From China With Love” by Janet Wilhelm. Mail & Guardian, January 9, 2006 .                   China-Africa trade jumps by 39% BBC News, January 6, 2006 .                  
“ La Chine à l’assaut du marché africain  ” by Jean-Christophe Servant.   Le Monde Diplomatique.
"Chungking Mansions : l’Afrique à Hong-Kong"   RFI.fr

Oil:
“China’s foreign minister in Africa bolster energy interests.” Associated Press.   January 12, 2006.
"China Oil Firm Buys into Nigeria” Chris Hogg.   BBC News.com January 9, 2006.
“CNOOC Announces $2.3B Nigeria Investment” by Peter S. Goodman.   Washington Post. January 9, 2006 .
"Dueling Priorities for Beijing in the Horn of Africa" by David Shinn, Joshua Eisenmann. China Brief, October 13, 2005 .
"Sudan: China's Outpost in Africa" by Yitzhak Shicor. China Brief, October 13, 2005 .

Arms:

"Beijing's Arms and Oil Interests in Africa" by Ian Taylor. China Brief, October 13, 2005 .                

More articles:

“China’s Africa Safari” by Paul Mooney. YaleGlobal Online. January 3, 2005 .
“Asia, Africa on way to new strategic partnership” Xinhua.net
“ La Chine et l’Afrique: Entre Engagement et Intérêt  ” Géopolitique africaine, 2004.                       “We Love China” by Lindsey Hilsum. Granta
“A rising China counters US clout in Africa,” Christian Science Monitor.   March 30, 2005.               

Sudan :                 

“What are the politics behind China’s race to develop Sudan?” by Rob Crilly, Irish Times. November 25, 2005.                     
“China’s interests in Sudan bring diplomatic cover” Reuters, December 17, 2005.

Blogs posts:

“Zimbabweans protest at Chinese aid for Mugabe” This is Zimbabwe
“China in Africa: the CNOOC Nigerian Oil Deal” Jewels in the Jungle (with some really interesting comments by Nigerian readers)
“The future of Africa is not China” Chippla’s Weblog
"China in Angola" Chippla's Weblog, with some back and forth between Black River Eagle and a PRC citizen
China’s trade with Africa – good news or bad news? Ethan Zuckerman. My Heart’s in Accra            “CNOOC: “It’s a good deal” Nigerian Times
“Chinese Censorship Specialists in Zimbabwe” Committee to Protect Bloggers
"China is Not the (Only) Devil" Africabeat (i.e., me)                            

Other links:

Forum On China-Africa Cooperation (中非合作论坛  ) (Government website)
China in Africa: A New Colonial Power? (Blog)
Chinafrique
"Cultivating responsible trade ties between China and Africa" makes it onto the World Economic Forum (Davos, Switzerland) agenda:                     

Tags:  China, Africa, Arms, Trade, Oil, Diplomacy, Sudan, Zimbabwe

Comments

[Black River Eagle]

I keep coming back to this post to check for any updates to resources and news about China in Africa. I found the following two articles to be quite informative and relevant to the present debates as they focus on China in the Sudan. Ref: The Jamestown Foundation's China Brief Magazine Vol 5 Issue 21 (October 13, 2005)"Beijing's Arms and Oil Interests in Africa" and "Sudan: China's Outpost in Africa".

BTW: A PRC national has joined the dialogue over at Chippla's blog re: the China in Africa debate. See the comments section of Chippla's April 10th, 2006 post "China in Angola". Thought that you would like to know about that. Interested in your inputs as well.

[Jennifer Brea]

Hi Bill. I must not have my email configured correctly to this site b/c I never get email notification of comments! I haven't been updating this post recently, but I definitely have a collection of new articles I've seen or been sent in the last several months, so I will add them soon. Also, thanks for the article suggestions!

[thebizofknowledge]

As someone who is keenly interested on this topic I was surprised and pleased to see so many links. China is a nation of growing global importance and I appreciate the opportunity to expand my own knowledge as I watch this unfolding scenario.

[Jennifer Brea]

Thanks for your interest - I am going to try to update this someday (the links are starting to get a bit old) and also start blogging more on China/Africa issues. I'm deeply interested in this issue as well.

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[夏楷闻]

Why many guys think China only target oil in Africa.China has helped a lot on infrastructure too.
It's undeniably that China needs more and more oil and raw materials as its economy booms,every developed country has experienced the same path,China buys it from Africa,it meets international regulations,it's not like colonization which was conducted by western countries last centuries ago.
What China is doing benefits both continents.
Many western media mislead Africans that China wants colonize African,it's really groundless and ridiculous.
Luckily,trueth can not be distorted orally,those Africans who have been to China or have done biz with China know what China really does in Africa.China and Africa are both open for each other.China has never demanded any political requirements to African brothers,never interfere with each nation's internal affairs.
Many countries regard sino-Africa cooperations as examples for developing countries,it 'll move ahead with a right lead and orientation without a halt even some western powers dislike to see it happens.
Sino-African cooperation will benefit both peoples on both continents.

[George Juniel]

As long as the Chinese see, and work with Africans as partners in trade, and not destroy the landscape there, their involvement can only be a good thing. The U.S.may reap a bitter harvest for not grabbing the opportunity when it had a chance. Now China will have access to many important, energies, and various minerals. What a shame! The color of skin is killing us.

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