Based on the Africanist theory of International Relations, the paper examines how the rise of the BRICS countries, particularly China, reshaped the economic and geopolitical realities in Africa for the past two decades. Across infrastructure financing, trade, investment and aid, there is no other traditional Western Power with such colossal engagement in Africa than China. The Chinese companies invest enormously in all across Africa by bringing new technologies, creating jobs, developing skills for the local Africans and immensely contributing to the Africa state’s public revenue.
The recent Africa-China economic relationship has threatened the dominance of the traditional ‘Great Powers' in the fields of economics and geopolitics. However, the paper will shed light on the challenges of the Sino/Africa relations from the African perspectives particularly how the Chinese workers and the ‘cheap' and ‘substandard’ products overflowing African domestic markets. Considering both sides of the coin, China's involvement in Africa is perceived positively by Africans, as such China is a significant partner who has generated multiple prospects for African development despite Africa’s development move is relatively sluggish.
Table of Contents
Introduction
China in Africa: Prizes for New Development
The Pitfalls of China-Africa Relations
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the rise of BRICS countries, specifically China, has reshaped economic and geopolitical realities in Africa over the last two decades, analyzing both the development opportunities provided by this engagement and the associated structural challenges and criticisms.
- Analysis of China's economic and infrastructure investment in Africa.
- Evaluation of the "win-win" partnership model and its impact on African development.
- Exploration of criticisms regarding labor practices and low-quality imports.
- Comparison of Chinese engagement with traditional Western power dynamics.
- Assessment of African agency in navigating international relations.
Excerpt from the Book
China in Africa: Prizes for New Development
Over the past couple of decades, Chinese activities in Africa have progressively developed and deepened. Although often called an “emerging donor,” the relationship between Africa and China is not a new chapter, but the economic partnership fast-tracked after 2000 when China's development model turned out to be particularly resource-intensive whereas its domestic supplies of energy and minerals were declining (Dollar, 2016). The Chinese interests in Africa in the early days of the 1960s were primarily focused on politics, seeking support for their allies during the Cold War era and isolating Taiwan diplomatically to join the world governing bodies, including the United Nations (Lyman, 2005). Nonetheless, as Chinese economy expanded in the late of 20th Century, their primary interests in Africa was shifted towards building economic ties rather than nurturing political relations. By 2009, China has overtaken the US as Africa's largest trading partner (Ighobor, 2013; Dews, 2014) while their bilateral trade expanded from US $ 10 billion in 2000 (Ofodile, 2008) to US $ 220 billion in 2016 (CARI, 2016).
By referring to examples drawn from over 1050 Chinese companies operating in Africa, Irene, et al., (2017) has discovered that more than 300,000 jobs have been created for African employees, approximately 65 percent Chinese enterprises deliver skills training, and nearly 30 percent of the Chinese firms launched new technologies. With the particular emphasis on these areas, this section of the paper examines into how the rise of China created new opportunities for African development vis-à-vis the prospects provided by the traditional Western powers. A significant and developing body of literature has investigated on three critical aspects of the China-Africa relations: infrastructure finance, utilisation of natural resources, and lack of conditionality of the dealings.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides a geopolitical overview of the rise of BRICS and outlines the research focus on China's role as a primary driver of economic and political change in Africa.
China in Africa: Prizes for New Development: Details the transition of China-Africa relations toward resource-intensive economic partnerships, highlighting infrastructure investment and increased trade volume as key catalysts for growth.
The Pitfalls of China-Africa Relations: Critically examines the negative impacts of Chinese engagement, specifically addressing concerns over labor imports, low-quality product dumping, and the potential for a new form of neo-colonialism.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that despite significant challenges, the Sino-Africa partnership is widely viewed by African populations as a net positive and a source of new development opportunities.
Keywords
BRICS, China, Africa, Development, Infrastructure, Geopolitics, Trade, Investment, South-South Partnership, Economic Growth, Natural Resources, Sino-African Relations, Neo-colonialism, Employment, Foreign Aid
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work explores the multifaceted impact of the rise of BRICS countries, particularly China, on the economic and geopolitical landscape of Africa over the last twenty years.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The study centers on infrastructure financing, trade relations, development aid, the "win-win" economic cooperation model, and the critical assessment of labor and market impacts.
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to determine whether Chinese engagement in Africa primarily serves developmental goals for the continent or if it is driven predominantly by Chinese self-interest.
Which scientific methodology is applied in this paper?
The paper utilizes an Africanist theory of International Relations perspective, supplemented by empirical evidence from case studies and existing academic literature on economic development.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The body analyzes the evolution of Chinese interests from political alignment to economic ties, investigates the benefits of infrastructure investment, and critiques issues like substandard goods and labor displacement.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The most defining keywords are BRICS, Africa, China, Development, Geopolitics, Infrastructure, and Economic Partnership.
How does the author characterize the "win-win" economic model?
The author explains it as a mechanism where African nations secure infrastructure loans using their natural resources as financial collateral, facilitating development projects that might otherwise be difficult to fund through traditional commercial banks.
What is the author's stance on the "new imperialism" critique?
The author presents the critique—often raised by Western observers and specific figures like Lamido Sanusi—as a legitimate concern regarding deindustrialization, but balances it against evidence that African populations generally favor Chinese involvement.
- Citation du texte
- Abdikadir Askar (Auteur), 2018, The Rise of the BRICS in Africa. Developmental or Self-Interest?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/428219
