The Impact Of China's Foreign Policy In Africa

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

To conclude this essay, Africa and China were very different in ways such as ruling style and religion, but also very similar when it came to family groups and trade. China and Africa both were great countries in terms of success and trade. Religion and government, ruling style, family groups, and trade were the main points of each

Modern African states have various problems ranging from corruption, to armed conflict, to stunted structural development. Africa’s ongoing political instability and economic crisis have hindered the improvement of Africa. Thus, the lack of money, advancement in technology, and climate has hampered economic development. Despite European mistreatment and oppression African’s have endured hardships that have encouraged economy, education, and political

The rise in China from a poor, stagnant country to a major economic power within a time span of twenty-eight years is often described by analysts as one of the greatest success stories in these present times. With China receiving an increase in the amount of trade business from many countries around the world, they may soon be a major competitor to surpass the U.S. China became the second largest economy, last year, overtaking Japan which had held that position since 1968 (Gallup). China could become the world’s largest economy in decades.

The current Status Quo is complete US political and military domination in the South-China Sea, United States dominated and dictated trade deals, and unipolarity of hegemonic power (Beckley 2011) All of which, if China desires to grow its power, must challenge.

It is no longer appropriate to say, “China is quickly emerging as a global superpower.” The fact is China is just that. Realizing this the United States of America has attempted to once again turn its focus eastward. Continuing problems at home and in the Middle East however have made doing so difficult. Additionally more and more frequently attempts at influencing the ongoing narrative in the Asia- Pacific region have been rebuffed. Even allies have found strength in the emergence of a system that fails to conform to previously prescribed methods and ideals. This leads to a fundamental question America must answer quickly. Has the growing hypocrisy of idealistic political rhetoric versus actual foreign policy finally undermined American credibility with developing nations, or for the purposes of this paper more specifically China? The answer is yes.

Africa is an extremely vast land comprised of unimaginable wealth in natural resources, and an even richer history. Sadly its exiguous population, whom many believe to be the oldest in the world, is completely impoverished, underdeveloped and marred with limited and corrupt governance. The people of Africa have been the victims of cultural rape time and time again-by Arab slave traders, adventurous European explores who found that the African people are worth more than gold and forced them to pay with their soul, exploited by colonial “do-gooders”and ravaged by self-serving neighbors, just to name a few. Strategies of Western nations to help bring salvation to the African people from earth’s torture and misery, always seemed to fail. Therefore it’s hard to believe anyone in Africa had any hope left in them at all. For a good majority of African people China’s entry and immersion into their land couldn’t have come fast enough, yet there were many others, foreign and domestic whom only harbored suspicion, and doubt regarding their new colonizers and for good reason, history has not been kind. This essay will first explore the driving forces behind China’s immersion into Africa, next I will delve into explaining the differences in how Western nations and China are handling African problems. Next I will discuss the pros and cons of Chinas neo-colonization and conclude the essay with why I believe China is just a wolf in sheep’s clothing denying imperialistic objectives.

For a country that is so forgotten by on the international scene, from past to present nearly every global superpower has attempted to carve out a piece of the continent for themselves. For much of the 19th century Africa stripped apart from the major European powers of Britain, France, Germany, and Portugal. While much of the influences of these countries have dwindled since Africa’s independence in 1960, Africa is now faced with an onslaught of big business in the form of Chinese workers determined to tap into the numerous abundance that the country holds. In China’s Second Continent, author Howard French dives into the lives and accounts of some of those determined to forge a new empire out of the continent.

The region is made up of 48 countries with a population of 973.4 million as correct of 2014 (The World Bank). Furthermore, over 60% of that demographic is under 30, showing promise for an increasing working age population. Africa can use this vast labour potential to increase GDP and therefore increase the wealth of the continent.

China’s ‘peaceful rise’ policy defined China’s foreign relations strategy since Deng Xiaoping promote the ‘opening up’ philosophy since 1979. China acknowledges the significance of international cooperation and global governance to its economic development, as Barry Buzan observed, ‘China put its own economic development as top priority, and deduced from that the need for stability in its international relations both regionally and globally’. What is more, in 2005, Zheng Bijian wrote that ‘China’s peaceful rise will further open its economy so that its population can serve as a growing market for the rest of the world, thus providing increased opportunities for – rather than posing a threat to – the international

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has become more integrated and willing to cooperate within the global political and economic systems than ever in its history. However, there is growing apprehension in the Asia-Pacific region and the U.S. in regards to the consequences of rising in economic and military power in China. Descriptions about Chinese diplomacy in the policy and scholarly are less positive lately concerning China’s obedience to regional and international rules. There was little debate in the U.S. and elsewhere in regards to whether China was or was not part “the international community.” Scholars and experts in the early 1990s have contended

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

The general consensus among scholars concludes that China is assertive (Chen, Pu & Johnston, 2014, 176). The assertive conduct of China can have an impact on the regional order and stability in South China Sea. The scholars have different views on the assertiveness of Chinese foreign policy (Chen et al., 2014, 176). The argument in favour of implementing assertive foreign policy affirms that China has good intentions regarding the South China Sea (Chen et al., 2014, 181). China is required to have an assertive conduct because a moderate approach would not bring regional stability (Fangyin, 2016, 877). The opposing argument on assertive foreign policy is concerned with the aggressive and provocative behaviour of China (Chen et al., 2014,

Until now, Chinese president Xi Jinping is putting developing good neighborly relations high on Chinese foreign policy agendas. He also focuses on practical ideas to better economic, political and cultural links with these nations, through mechanisms. For instance, in an effort to strengthen economic and cultural links with Southeast Asia and beyond, Xi Jinping raised the idea of the “One Belt, One Road” that links China with neighbors together in a community of shared destiny and interest.