China in Africa: Path to Development or New Colonial Master?

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Posted to Politics on Fri Oct 27, 2006 at 06:34:07 AM EST. RSS.

Over the past few years African nations have increasingly been looking to the East for new sources of investment and development strategies. Years of failed IMF structural adjustments and a history of depressingly low growth rates have many Africans looking for a new way - but questions remain both about China's motives and whether its influence will offer more or less stability to Africa's future.

In the immediate aftermath of decolonization, African economies did reasonably well and the 1950s and 1960s saw average, if not spectacular, growth rates for many African nations. Beginning in the 1960s, however, it became apparent that many African nations (which were often have borders defined by unrealistic boundaries drawn by 19th century imperial powers) had only been held together by a common desire to be rid of their colonial masters. With economies still dependent on foreign exports, but no longer guaranteed imperial patronage, many African economies collapsed or stagnated and the region became increasingly unstable. Soviet adventurism in Angola and Ethopia added further trouble to the mix. Since the 1980s, a large portion of African countries have relied on IMF and World Bank loans and donor aid from their former colonial masters just to get by.

Moving into the 21st century, some African nations are looking for another way - and China's 10% annual growth rate and "loose" definition of human rights has been understandably attractive. China has courted African nations through international summits and trade fairs, and has increased its level of investment in Africa considerably over the last decade. In some ways it is a perfect fit - the growing Chinese economy needs Africa's resources (particular minerals and oil), and African nations need investment money wherever they can get it. China is particularly attractive because Chinese funds don't come with the same strings that Western aid dollars do. The Chinese emphasis on state sovereignty over human rights, and China's state led development (as opposed to the neo-liberal free market reforms proposed by Western donors) are particularly attractive to embattled elites in countries such as Zimbabwe and the Sudan. Western development strategists feel undercut by Chinese influence, however, as China's investments often undermine the ability of donor notions to promote anti-corruption and human rights in African countries.

edited by Ace