HR: https://www.ft.com/content/0f534aa4-4549-11e7-8519-9f94ee97d996
The lack of interest in the west towards Africa has always confused me, the continent is so huge and has suffered so much and could easily become an economic powerhouse akin to East Asia in the coming decades. Who in the IR sphere was predicting that the 21st century would be the Chinese Century and that China’s command economy would overtake the United States’ as the most powerful on Earth? With Chinese eyes and money rapidly turning towards Africa, the US and Europe should seriously reconsider whether they want to let this potential powerhouse fall by the way side and become China’s first sphere of influence.
The geopolitical aspect of the move makes perfect sense, looking at one particular state China is dumping infrastructure dollars into, Ethiopia, offers no real strategic resources but is located right by the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and the oil rich Middle East with geographical positioning like that I find the Chinese narrative of 3rd world solidarity very unsatisfactory. Even in the language used by Chinese themselves: “To have 54 African [nations as] friends is very important for China,” says Jing Gu, director of the Centre for Rising Powers and Global Development” its very clear China wants to Africa as its own international developmental playground and resource bank. And for Africans, this is welcome, as the article says, China offers a choice away from the failing policies of ‘carrot and stick’ aid from the West and overbearing charity.
The biggest downside is the incredible amount of debt African nations are building to China, the relationship is in no way equal and many African intellectuals are beginning to piece that together. Outside of France’s Emmanuel Macron of France, the west’s postion to Africa is that the nations are ‘shit holes’ and American investments remain dwarfed by Chinese. How the Chinese involvement in Africa plays out remains to be seen as Africa develops across the board, however Africa’s growth will increase going into the 21st century, if the west wants the profits of that growth and influence they will gain going to China, so be it.