Chinese Investment in Africa
CHINESE INVESTMENTS IN AFRICA
China’s growing involvement in Africa has raised concern from western countries for the past decade. China claims to have distinguished itself from western countries with regard to its Africa policy by a great financial involvement based on “political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation, and cultural exchange”[1]. Indeed, as Hu Jintao says, “China and Africa are good friends, good partners and brothers”[2]. Chinese “investment” in Africa involves political, economic and cultural exchange. Trade, investment and aid are the three main economic components of China’s Africa policy.
In order to understand the full scope of Chinese investment in Africa, we first need to define the terms more precisely. Chinese investments in Africa don’t, for example, include Taiwanese investments in the continent even though China imposes the One-China policy. Then, even though Africa is not only a continent but also a full range of countries, we’ll tend to consider Africa as a whole entity (excepted Maghreb) because many of the African countries have similar political and economic characteristics. Trade, investment and aid are the three main components of China’s economic engagement in Africa. These terms are not always distinguished because they are tightly link together: concerning China trade is end to the investments made and aid is often a form of investments.”
The West claims that China has had a bad influence in Africa; but Africa and China both stress the positive aspect of their collaboration. We can question, however, whether the current socio-economic reality in Africa reflects this optimistic opinion.
Indeed, in the 90’s, African countries and China needed each other very much; but after more than a decade of trade, aid and investments, it seems that Chinese involvement in Africa is nothing more than a form of neo-colonization. Even though Chinese investments come with no political conditions attached, China’s massive
China’s growing involvement in Africa has raised concern from western countries for the past decade. China claims to have distinguished itself from western countries with regard to its Africa policy by a great financial involvement based on “political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation, and cultural exchange”[1]. Indeed, as Hu Jintao says, “China and Africa are good friends, good partners and brothers”[2]. Chinese “investment” in Africa involves political, economic and cultural exchange. Trade, investment and aid are the three main economic components of China’s Africa policy.
In order to understand the full scope of Chinese investment in Africa, we first need to define the terms more precisely. Chinese investments in Africa don’t, for example, include Taiwanese investments in the continent even though China imposes the One-China policy. Then, even though Africa is not only a continent but also a full range of countries, we’ll tend to consider Africa as a whole entity (excepted Maghreb) because many of the African countries have similar political and economic characteristics. Trade, investment and aid are the three main components of China’s economic engagement in Africa. These terms are not always distinguished because they are tightly link together: concerning China trade is end to the investments made and aid is often a form of investments.”
The West claims that China has had a bad influence in Africa; but Africa and China both stress the positive aspect of their collaboration. We can question, however, whether the current socio-economic reality in Africa reflects this optimistic opinion.
Indeed, in the 90’s, African countries and China needed each other very much; but after more than a decade of trade, aid and investments, it seems that Chinese involvement in Africa is nothing more than a form of neo-colonization. Even though Chinese investments come with no political conditions attached, China’s massive
Bibliography: Alden Chris, China in Africa (August 2007) De Lorenzo, Mauro, China and Africa, a new scramble ( the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research ’s website, 2006) Gill Bates Gill and Reilly James, A tenuous hold of China Inc. in Africa Kurlantzick, Joshua, Beijing’s safari: China’s Move into Africa and Its Implications for Aid, Development, and Governance (Carnegie Endowment for international peace, may 2006) Taylor, Ian, China’s oil diplomacy in Africa, in International Affrairs, 2006 Tull Denis, China’s engagement in Africa: scope, significance and consequences (Journal of Modern African Studies, 44, 3 (2006), pp ----------------------- [1] China’s Africa Policy “The White Paper” (2006) [4] Eisenman Joshua and Kurlantzick Joshua, China’s Africa strategy ( Current History, may 2006) [5] Gill Bates Gill and Reilly James, A tenuous hold of China Inc [6] [7] Niquet Valerie, La stratégie africaine de la Chine, Politique étrangère, february 2006) [8] Taylor, Ian, China’s oil diplomacy in Africa, in International Affrairs, 2006 [9] Tull Denis, China’s engagement in Africa: scope, significance and consequences (Journal of Modern African Studies)