China’s Geo-economics Interests in Africa

China’s geo-economics interests in Africa are inseparably linked with its military and strategic analysis of a post bipolar worldview, which requires defending China’s positions in international forums such as the UN, and positioning itself as a global power, while sometimes taking a firm stand against the US. China’s Africa policy cannot be divorced from its overall grand strategy, which includes a great power diplomacy focused on establishing partnerships to increase its attractiveness. Africa’s strategic importance, in China’s foreign policy calculations vis-à-vis other great powers, has grown as countries deal with the problem of ‘peak oil’ and seek sources of reliable supply of natural resources. Existing and emerging economic powers, from the US, Japan and India, have shown deep interest in Africa’s resource wealth. China’s focus on multipolarity is very much welcome in Africa. While BC talks about expediting a “shift from power politics to moral politics,” (Ramo, 2004, p.5-6)(done 1)(.China has made every effort to use both all elements of its power-hard and soft to secure economic and political advantages in Africa against its global competitors. China has often criticized against US hegemonism during the era of global competitiveness of the cold war era, although, it has been less concerned about Russia, whose influence has been declining on the continent in the post-Soviet era. As a resource-rich country, Russia does not have the same acquisitive drive that China has in Africa, but it is still interested in exploring business opportunities and replacing business with the ideological space it has vacated in Africa.

In Africa, China’s strategic interests for diplomatic support and resource exploitation have often conflict...

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... with its ideational principles of peaceful coexistence, and offering assistance to deal with security threats in Africa. Its 558-member contingent of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has been greeted for contributing to the post-conflict development effort in Liberia. While helping to resolve a wide range of African conflicts, from Western Sahara to the Ivory Coast, China is helping to fulfill its commitment to help Africans resolve conflict that hamper development. At the same time, its overall geostrategic goals are enhanced in the process by having Chinese personnel on the ground in Africa to deal with any security threats. Aside from UN peacekeeping, Chinese also have engaged in military cooperation with African countries to deal with any threats to the growing Chinese personnel, Peace Corps, migrants and other humanitarian workers who live in African states.