Page 33 - Issue 9

Special Report

China’s engagement

with Africa and the

implications President Xi Jinping of China

hina’s increased involvement in Party of China’s (CPC’s) twin objectives participation. As such, the summit was
CAfrica over the past decade is one of of achieving national rejuvenation and positioned as an opportunity to build
the most significant recent developments restoring China as a Great nation. consensus.
in the region. It appears to contradict the
idea of international marginalisation of Currently, BRI spans three continents The overall plan aims to provide a
Africa and brings significant economic and touches 60 percent of the world’s commitment of some $ 1 trillion in
and political consequences. China’s population. The 65-71 or so countries future funding. And China used the
Africa interest is part of a recently more that have so far signed on to the program summit as an opportunity to increase
active international strategy based on (including approximately 20 from the Silk Fund from $40 to $ 100billion.
multi-polarity and non-intervention. Africa) account for 30 percent of the In Africa, East Africa has been the main
world’s GDP and 75 percent of its energy
Increased aid, debt cancellation, and a reserves. focus of the initiative on the continent,
boom in Chinese-African trade, with with China also supportive of Africa’s
a strategic Chinese focus on oil, have Some 50 Chinese state owned companies homegrown development plan as set
proven mutually advantageous for China are implementing 1,700 infrastructure out in the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
and African state elites. By offering projects around the worth about $900 There are clear synergies with the Belt
aid without preconditions, China has billion. One Belt One Road (OBOR) has and Road initiative that support greater
presented an attractive alternative to been written into the state and ruling connectivity. And as African countries
conditional Western aid, and gained party constitutions as strategic priorities have expressed interest, China has
valuable diplomatic support to defend for China to attain Great Power status by responded, at least rhetorically, in favour
st
its international interests. However, a the middle of the 21 century. of their inclusion.
generally asymmetrical relationship This isn’t the first attempt to revive the The ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR)
differing little from previous African– ancient trade routes. There have been initiative is a foreign policy and
Western patterns, alongside support attempts by the EU, US, Russia and even economic strategy of the People’s
of authoritarian governments at the India to reconstruct the ancient Silk Republic of China. The term derives
expense of human rights, make the Road that linked Asia and Europe in from the overland ‘Silk Road Economic
economic consequences of increased particular. Belt’ and the ‘21st-Century Maritime
Chinese involvement in Africa mixed Silk Road’, concepts introduced by PRC
at best, while the political consequences What makes China’s attempt different is President Xi Jinping in 2013.
are bound to prove deleterious. the commitment of President Xi, as well
as the numerous agreements – such as The Chinese government calls the
In 2014, China launched the One Belt the 130 transport pacts– it has already initiative “a bid to enhance regional
One Road), presented internationally signed with partner countries along the connectivity and embrace a brighter
as the Belt and Road Initiative, is route. future”. Some observers see it as a push

China’s signature vision for reshaping for Chinese dominance in global affairs
its global engagements. It is strategic China made clear from the beginning with a China-centered trading network.
and comprehensive in scope and an that the initiative wouldn’t get off The project has a targeted completion
essential component of the Communist the ground without widespread date of 2049, which coincides with
[11]

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