China’s Engagement in Africa: A Realist Perspective
Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, China has increasingly taken a more active role in world affairs. One of the main faces of this active engagement is China’s policy towards Africa. To better understand the driving elements of China’s involvement in Africa, we should take a closer look at the Realism theory. States are rational actors and adopt an economic and political perspective based on national interest. From this point on, we can argue that China, being an emergent global economic and political power, acts in Africa to ensure survival thus gaining power and influence. China’s operations through its policy in Africa are to meet four key national interests.
FOCAC summit (source)
Political Interests
China pursues African countries support for the one-China policy in order to eliminate Taiwan's diplomatic presence on the continent. African countries played a significant role in helping the PRC to retrieve its seat in the United Nations as legitimate government, representing the Chinese people in 1971. Besides, African Countries helped China prevent a statement from the UN council on human rights criticizing China over the Tibet issue in 2008, just before the beginning of the Beijing Summer Olympics. China seeks Africa’s support in multilateral organizations and forums to achieve its global agendas, given the fact that African countries represent a significant voting capacity of 54 African states, which equals more than the quarter of the UN members. (1)
Economic Interests
Being a continent rich on natural resources makes Africa a source of commodities for China. It needs African countries to secure stable deliveries of oil and raw material to sustain its economic growth. Additionally, Africa with its large population represents a consuming market of Chinese goods and services. On the flip side, Africa’s lack of infrastructure makes it a fertile ground for Chinese foreign investment. China adopts an approach in its investment in African infrastructure, which consists of carrying out infrastructure projects in return for commodities. Additionally, Chinese companies also take advantage of African market potential and its cheap labour force in order to relocate their activities to Africa and produce at a lower cost. Furthermore, Africa represents a core element in the Chinese belt and road initiative.
Security Interests
In the light of growing Chinese involvement in Africa through its investments and personnel presence on the continent, China has become exposed to several security challenges such as political instability, terrorism, organized crime and piracy in the Horn of Africa. (2) The number of Chinese living and working in Africa reached 1 million in 2016. (3) China has played an increasing role in preserving stability and tackling security issues in Africa. China provided 100 million dollars in 2015 aiming to reinforce the African union peace and security structures.” (4) Additionally, China established a military base in Djibouti in order to defend Chinese security interests in the region. Besides, this base aims to fight piracy in the Horn of Africa, which affects negatively the international maritime navigation.
China's military base in Djibouti (source)
Ideological Interests
In the early 1950s and 1960s during the Mao Zedong era, ideology constituted an essential determinant in China’s policy towards African countries. China sought to be the leader of the developing world, where African countries represented a core element. China wanted to create a bloc with African countries to face hegemony and imperialism, notably knowing that China and African countries shared a history of struggle against western colonialism. This policy was of an enormous aid to African countries despite China's economic difficulties at that time. After 1979, China progressively de-ideologized its policy towards Africa. It established relations with all African countries that support the one-China policy.
Nevertheless, China has started applying ideology differently. The Chinese communist party seeks to gain legitimacy through transferring its development model to Africa. This model, which merges economic development with authoritarianism, has proved to be successful in China. For this reason, China tries to convince African countries that political stability and economic development should be prioritized over democracy. The Chinese model has gained much attractiveness among African countries.
In conclusion, China's presence in Africa has drawn much controversy within the academic community and centers of power because of its specific features and guiding principles. Some experts, in particular in the west, perceive China as a purely realistic country, seeking to achieve its own political, economic and ideological interests, hence imposing hegemony in Africa. Nevertheless, some see China particularly in Africa as a development partner on an equal basis with African nations, notably knowing that China adopts a policy of non-interference in inner affairs of African countries. In addition, it does not attach any political conditionality to loans and economic assistance to Africa in contrast to western countries. This topic represents an opportunity for further academic research in order to deeply understand the nature and driving elements of Chinese actorness in Africa.
Edited by Nataliya Napetova