Sino-Africa Relations: The Dynamics of Seized and Squandered Opportunities1
Abstract
China ' s fast growing economy and its global political influence seem to provide an impetus for unprecedented development opportunities for Africa. The opportunities on the horizon would range from new and the expanding markets for African goods and services with trade preferences, investment opportunities with the potential for skills and technology transfers as well as development cooperation resources without conditionalities. This article juxtaposes the potential opportunities engendered by the current Sino-Africa cooperation against the challenges that African countries are facing in dealing with the rising superpower. It is argued that Chinese engagement in Africa is essentially driven by its national interests and that the skewed benefits in favour of the Asian power is largely a result of unequal distribution of wealth, power and influence between it and African countries. Caution is expressed to the effect that if clumsily managed, the much trumpeted "Chinese Dream" could easily degenerate into "African Nightmare."References
Africa Development Bank. 2010. Africa Economic Outlook. AfDB: Tunis.
Angang, H. "2012. China in 2020: Building a Well-Off Society," Asia-Pacific Economic Literature, 26, 1:97-8.
Anshan, L. 2007. "China and Africa: Policies and Challenges," China Security, 3, 3:69-93.
Arrighi, G. 2007. Adam Smith in Beijing: Lineage of the Twenty-First Century. London: Verso.
Bell, M. and Pavitt, K. 1993. "Accumulating Technology Capacity in Developing Countries", Industrial and Corporate Change 2, 2:157-210.
Birdsall, N. and Fukuyama, F. 2011. New Ideas in Development after the Financial Crisis. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Blum, S. 2003. "Chinese Views of US Hegemony", Journal of Contemporary China, 40, 1:226-31.
Brautigam, D. 2011. "African Shenzhen: China ' s Special Economic Zones in Africa," Journal of Modern African Studies, 49, 1:2754.
Brautigam, D. 2008. "Flying geese or hidden dragon? Chinese business and African industrial Development" in Alden, C, Lange, D, and Soares, R. (eds). China ' s Return to Africa: A Rising Power and a Continent Embrace. London: Christopher.
Brautigam, D. 2011. China in Africa: What can the Western Donors Learn? A Report for Norfund. Oslo, August.
Brautigam, D. 2009. The Dragon Gift: The Real Story of China in Africa. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Brown, K. and Chun, Z. 2010. "China in Africa: Preparing for the Next Forum for China-Africa Cooperation". Asian Program Briefing. UNCTAD. South-South Cooperation: Africa and the New Forms of Development Partnerships. UN Publication Sale No.E.10.11.D.13. UN: New York and Geneva.1-12.
Buckley, L. 2013. "Narratives of China-Africa Cooperation in Agricultural Development: New Paradigms". IDS Bulletin, 44, 4:1-12.
Cheru, F. and Obi, C. 2010. The Rise of India and China in Africa. London: Zed Books.
Daniel, B. 2008. "The European Union and China in Africa" in Ampiah, K and S. Naidu (Eds). Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Africa and China. Scottsville: Kwazulu-Natal Press.
Davies, M. 2008. "Special Economic Zones: China ' s Development Model comes to Africa," in Rotberg (ed). China into Africa: Trade, Aid and Influence. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution.
Diamond, L.1995. Promoting Democracy in the 1990s: Actors, Instruments, Issues and Implications. New York: Carnegie Foundation.
Enos, J., S. Lall and Yun, H. 1977 "Transfer of Technology: An Update", Asian Pacific Economic Literature, 11, 1: 56-66.
Fukuyama, F. 1992. End of History and the Last Man. New York: Free Press.
Gaye, A. 2006. China-Africa: The Dragon and the Ostrich. Paris: L ' Harmattanm.
Greschenkron, A. 1962. Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective: A Book of Essays. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
Ha-Joon C. 2002. Kicking Away the Ladder: The "Real" History of Free Trade. London: Athens Press.
Kaplinsky, R. and Farroki, M. 2009. Africa ' s Cooperation with new and Emerging Development Partners: Options for Africa ' s Development. Report prepared for the Office of the Special Advisor on Africa. UN: New York.
Kaplinsky, R. McCormick, D and Morris, M. 2007. "The Impact of China on sub-Saharan Africa." IDS Working Paper 291.
Kurlantzick, J. 2007. Charm Offensive: How China ' s soft Power is Transforming the World. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press.
Le Pere, G. 2007. "China and Africa: Dynamics of an Enduring Relationship", Global Dialogue, 9 Vol. 1&2.
Li Anshan, 2012. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: From a Sustainable Perspective. Peking University, Centre for African Studies.
Nye, J. 2006. Power in the Global Information Age. New York: Routledge.
Roy, D. 2003. "China ' s Reaction to America ' s Predominance," Survival, 45, 3: 57-78.
Rugumamu, S. 1988. "State Regulation of Foreign Investments in Tanzania: An Assessment," Africa Development, 13, 4:5-28.
Rugumamu, S. 1992. "Technical Cooperation as an Instrument of Technology Transfer: Some Evidence from Tanzania," European Journal of Development Research, 4, 1:81- 96.
Sarah, P. and Stahl, A.2010. "European Development Policy toward subSaharan Africa: Challenges of the Growing China Presence", Emulations # 7.
Taylor, I. 2012. "From Santa Claus to Serious Business: Where Should FOCAS go next?" East Asia Review, 31-7.
Taylor, I. 2012. China ' s New Role in Africa. Boulder, Co: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Thompson, A. 2004. An Introduction to African Politics. London: Routledge .
Tull, D. 2012. "China ' s Engagement in Africa: Scope, Significance and Consequences," Journal of Modern African Studies, 44, 4:301-12.
Tull, D. 2006. "China ' s Engagement in Africa: Scope, Significance and Consequences," Journal of Modern African Studies, 44:459-79.
UNCTAD. 2010. South-South Cooperation: Africa and the New Development Partnerships. Sales No.E.10.11.D.B. UN: Geneva.
UNECA. 2013. Africa-BRICS Cooperation: Implications for Growth, Employment and Structural Transformation. UNECA: Addis Ababa.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). 2009. Industrial Development Report 2009. New York: UNIDO.
Wang, L. and Zheng, J. 2012. "China ' s Rise and a New Paradigm in the World Economy: Preliminaries", Journal of Chinese Economics and Business Studies, 10, 4: 301-12.
Wolf, M. 2008. "Why the Sub-prime Crisis is a Turning Point for World Economy", Presentation at the Global Economic Policy Centre, Nottingham University, March 5.
World Bank. 2012. Building a Modern, Harmonious, and Creative, High-Income Society. Washington, DC: The World Bank.
World Bank. 2010. Knowledge, Technology and Cluster-based Growth in Africa. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Zakaria, F. 2008. The Post-America World. New York: Norton.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright © by Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Dar es Salaam
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except for short extracts in fair dealing, for research or private study, critical scholarly review or discourse with an acknowledgement.
The African Review: A Journal of African Politics, Development and International Affairs [ISSN 0856-0056 (Print) & ISSN 1821-889X (Online)] is published bi-annually, June and December by the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Dar es Salaam, P.O. Box 35042 €“ Dar es Salaam €“ Tanzania
