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EastAsiaForum.org: China’s just another great power in Africa

Posted by: Berhane.Habtemariam59@web.de

Date: Friday, 18 May 2018

Author: David H Shinn, George Washington University

Does China’s growing engagement with Africa represent the replacement of Western influence with a new economic hegemon? Or does China’s influence continue to face huge challenges and is it significantly overstated? The truth is somewhere in between. China has become a major player but much of the commentary about its relationship with Africa is overwrought. While China’s tactics and perhaps even strategy are novel, it is just another major power pursuing its own interests — much as the United States, France and the United Kingdom are doing. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, 23 November 2017 (Photo: Reuters/Jason Lee).

The principal non-African actors on the continent want essentially the same thing from the 54 diverse African countries. They all want access to Africa’s oil, minerals and natural resources. They seek maximum political support from African countries in international forums such as the UN General Assembly and World Trade Organization. They want to increase their exports of goods and services to Africa for the purpose of earning foreign exchange. They are anxious to avoid various negative impacts on their interests and nationals, such as terrorist attacks, piracy, narcotics trafficking and international crime.

Each major power may also have one or two unique interests. China seeks diplomatic recognition from two hold outs — Burkina Faso and Swaziland — who still recognise Taiwan. The United States depends on access to ports and airports for its military aircrafts and ships. France wants to maintain its cultural and language connections. The United Kingdom takes pride in the 19 African members of its Commonwealth of Nations.

It is indisputable that China has joined the big leagues in Africa. China has been Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009. It accounts for about 15 per cent of Africa’s trade, though Africa accounts for only about 4 per cent of China’s trade. China is the largest bilateral financier of infrastructure projects in Africa, averaging about US$11.5 billion in infrastructure investment annually over 2012–16.

In recent years, China’s OECD-equivalent aid to Africa has averaged about US$2.5 billion, compared with about US$8 billion from the United States and US$23 billion from the European Union. China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to Africa are estimated to be about US$3 billion annually. This is roughly the same amount flowing from US companies but well below the US$35 billion invested in 2015 by companies in the European Union. China accounts for only about 5 per cent of Africa’s global FDI stock.

In 2017, China established its first overseas military base in Djibouti, where France, the United States, Japan and Italy also have bases. China contributes more personnel to UN peacekeeping operations in Africa — almost 2,100 — than any other permanent member of the UN Security Council. China is also the second-largest supplier of major weapons to Africa after Russia.

China’s growing security links to Africa are driven by the increasing numbers of its nationals — upwards of 1 million — who live or work in Africa. But these nationals are subject to attack just like the nationals and interests of many other countries. Overall, both the United States and France are more militarily engaged in Africa than is China. Since 2008, China has contributed two frigates and a supply ship to anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden — but so have many other countries.

One important but little-understood link is the cooperation between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and African ruling parties. There are frequent exchanges of delegations going both directions. The CCP provides cadre training and occasionally material support for African parties. Its relationship with the ruling parties in South Africa and Ethiopia is particularly strong. US political parties have no similar relationship, and even most European political parties collaborate far less with African parties than does the CCP.

The biggest difference between Western countries’ and China’s approach to Africa concerns liberal democracy and human rights. The West attaches importance to these concepts and even puts conditions revolving around them on its assistance to certain African countries. China eschews this practice and emphasises that it does not attach political conditions to its aid (except for insistence on the ‘One China’ principle). China’s approach is welcomed almost unanimously by African governments — especially the more authoritarian ones — but is not appreciated by many African civil society organisations.

The divergent political ideologies represented by China and the West complicate their ability to cooperate in Africa. Going forward, China’s regime may pose an additional challenge for the expansion of ties in Africa, particularly with the more democratic African governments. A case in point is press freedom. In 2018, China ranked lower than every country in Africa, except Eritrea, in the Reporters without Borders’ press freedom index (the index ranked 180 countries, including 53 in Africa). At some point, increasing numbers of African governments may start asking themselves what kind of democracy is best for them: China’s or the West’s.

David H Shinn is an Adjunct Professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University.


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