China And Ghana Relationship Essay

• Should Africa be wary of China’s continued investment across the continent? Who stands to benefit from this arrangement, and who stands to suffer?

Natural resources contribute a huge part in this region. The two main products in this region include gold and salt, which were traded across the Sahara for many years. Another major contributor is the export of diamonds, gold, and magnesium. Although not many countries in this region are as fortunate, Ghana relies on the export of these products, which resulted in a Per Capita Income of $1,900. Although this is a very high income for this region, it is still low compared to the industrialized world. Even though resources play a huge part in this region,culture also contributes to what the region is like today. For example, The two main types of cultures in West Africa are the Ashanti and the Benin. The Ashanti resides in Ghana, and is known for their work in colorful weavings which are known as Kente cloth. The designs on this cloth always provide a specific meaning. They are also known fro carving wooden stools, which represent unity between ancestral spirits and members of a family. The country of Benin however, has artists that have made objects out of metal and Terra Cota. They are also famous for their statues, masks, and jewelry.

One reason that the geography helped the development of the kingdom of Ghana was because of trade. According to Document A, there were gold and salt mines surrounding Taghaza and Timbuktu. This shows that those cities were very likely to be involved in trade and that it would have been an effective trade, as one city wanted salt and the other city wanted gold. According to Document B, “The Arab traders of this region wanted gold as much as the Wangara wanted salt…” This shows that trade

In early Africa, the kingdom of Ghana was prosperous due to the trade of salt and gold. Ghana’s location benefited it in many ways. First Ghana’s location allowed them to be the center of the Gold/Salt trade. Since salt was so valuable at the time, the people of Ghana were able to sell salt for gold throughout Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Middle East. Ghana also made a lot of revenue from taxes on the Gold/Salt trade route. Since they were the center

The land was full of riches like salt and gold, and they were so wealthy they gave their animals gold and silk. Ghana, like Egypt had a large river to provide water for fields, animals, and people. Ghana was also at the center of trans Saharan trade, which brought people from all over either passing through or to do business. Most of the people were farmers so food was not a problem. Ghana had a great system that allowed them to bring their problems to their king, the Ghana where all disputed were settled peacefully. Travelers could journey from place to place without fear of being robbed. Ghana was a land that provided everything needed for life, and even provided some of the pleasures of life like

1. Explain the context/ background of the events you are examining? For example: time; place and how it relates to colonization by the nation you are examining or other nations.

The United States and China Relation started since 1784, but it wasn’t until 1970’s when The United States finally recognize the communist people from China. This led us to be influenced by their culture, politics, but the most important economically. The relation of these two countries was not so good at the beginning, since China is a communist country that was involved with many countries that were in war. The interaction of these countries goes back to 1785 when the first Chinese sailors arrived to Baltimore looking for wealth and then it increases in 1847 with the Gold Rush in San Francisco that attracted many Asian Immigrants in look for new opportunities. The U.S. Department of State mentions in their archive United States Relations

The main goods that were traded were gold and salt. The West African gold mines made the West African Empires very rich. They also traded Kola nuts, ivory, cloth, metal goods, beads and slaves.

The major contributions I viewed through our textbook of the trans- Saharan trade on African civilizations started out with a simple ordinary life, dealing with agriculture and livestock breeding as a way of life for many people. Except, “wherever regional states and kingdoms overlaid the village life, trade was one of the primary bases on which kingly or queenly authority relied. Africa exported few manufactures internationally, but local production and export of high-value commodities such as gold, ivory, animal hides (processed and unprocessed), dyes, gums, and aromatics-as well as the traffic of human beings-created a lot of wealth. (Alder & Pouwels 2015, p. 232). Another major contribution was the power they used to control and tax their

In addition, to introduce the culture, Britain brought more exports from their country. The exports in 1805 were £193,034 of products, but in 1810 the amount increased to £545,577 of products imported into the Gold Coast; the number of products traded increased by £342,543 (Bennett 17). From the data, I believe this sudden increase in products was an attempt to introduce the culture. This improved the economy and provided new products for native Ghanaians to

1) With reference to theories of growth and development, explain the contrasting growth experience of China and Sub Saharan Africa post 1980.

Gold diggers have always had the spotlight on our planet’s natural resources. They are influenced by only benefiting themselves, while the earth still remains home to poverty and many underdeveloped countries. They have dug up rich landscapes like Africa for shiny possessions. This political issue targets Asian and Western powerful nations due to their large export of natural resources from poor African nations. Corporations from the US, France, Britain and China are drilling into the continent for its oil, gold and diamonds. Increasing their profits from rule of corrupt regimes. Although western nations need Africa’s natural resources for economic benefits, the people of Africa are negatively impacted by violent conflicts and lack of economic progression.

From this study, we realize that Ghana has had a long standing history of gold production, dating back to the colonial era: The economy continues to be a dominant gold producer in Africa and the world. Further, gold production has contributed significantly towards the development of the economy of Ghana; providing the much needed foreign exchange earnings; as well as jobs and incomes for the citizenry. The librazilization of gold production in 1989 following the Economic Recovery Program (ERP) in 1983 allowed the operation of small scale gold mining. Small scale gold production has led to increase in gold production and export, however, liberalization, gold export and the existence of small scale gold

While relations with China are not in themselves a recent phenomenon, the extensive amount of trade that the two partake in is. Actually, the affiliation between China and Africa stretches back centuries. Some scholars try to establish the starting point based on “the discovery of ancient Chinese ceramics on the east coast of Africa, or to the trading ties begun under the Song dynasty” (Raine 13). Trying to trace ties back this far is important in increasing a sense of loyalty. After all, people tend to have stronger feelings of fidelity towards someone they have known for years, as compared to someone they have just met. Another frequently cited encounter is when the Chinese explorer Zheng He “reached the east coast of Africa where…Zheng came, saw and never conquered…[leaving only a legacy] of trade, stimulating a local market for Chinese silk and porcelain” (Raine 13). This incident is important in further establishing solidarity between the two nations. China refers to this history to prove “it has interacted commercially without further agenda and without detriment to Africa” (Raine 14). It uses this point to relate to Africa – they are both Third World nations that have faced oppression from the First World, and therefore need to stick together.

In the recent years, China has had a growing presence in the African continent, engaging in trades, delivering aid and initiating projects. China’s involvement in Africa is something that has triggered very animated debates among students and scholars. Many hypotheses as to China’s intentions have been presented. Is China really the solution to Africa’s underdevelopment or simply for its own political and economical interests? This essay will present a more pessimistic view on this whole situation arguing the very dangers and consequences of China’s relationship with Africa. Not only does China worsen the countries’ economic conditions by triggering high levels of inflation and unemployment but it also represent a new form of colonialism