The Chinese are coming: China-Africa Relations in the New Period (African Renaissance, vol 2 No 4 2005)

In this edition, we focus on China-Africa relations in what Chinese diplomats like to call the 'new period' - a euphemism for a period of its emergence as a great economic power. While many remain fixated on what the G8 countries can or cannot do to help 'make poverty history' in Africa, some analysts and policy makers are beginning to pay special attention to China's new engagement with Africa, and are asking critical questions: Will China's desire to find markets for its goods lead to policy options that will do for the continent what decades of the West's engagements have so far failed to achieve? Will China's hunger for such resources as oil and timber and its subtle competition for global influence with the traditional powers lead to a different set of behaviour towards Africa that will in the end unwittingly empower Africa and Africans? Is the extreme courtesy and humility which currently characterise Chinese dealings with Africa and Africans indicative of a 'a beautiful bride' status that Africa is destined to enjoy under the 'new period' as China competes with the traditional powers for Africa's love? Are the Chinese merely using Africa to test their goods as some cynics insist, which once they have perfect, will lead to their abandoning Africa to seek higher rewards for those goods in the more advanced economies of the West , Japan and Russia? Can Africa capitalise on any 'beautiful bride' status to win concessions from its suitors?

Publisher: Adonis & Abbey Publishers Ltd
Illustration: N
Language: ENG
Title: The Chinese are coming: China-Africa Relations in the New Period (African Renaissance, vol 2 No 4 2005)
Pages: 00000 (Encrypted PDF)
On Sale: 2006-12-19
SKU-13/ISBN: 9781905068111
Category: Social Science : Developing & Emerging Countries
Category: Social Science : Essays
Category: Political Science : Essays