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China in Africa
This document discusses China's involvement in African development through Chinese development assistance programs, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Digital Silk Road. It begins by distinguishing between traditional and emerging donors before examining the drivers and impacts of Chinese development assistance. While some view China's approach as a rival to the Western model, the document notes Chinese assistance is based on principles of equality, mutual benefit, and respect for sovereignty. It also finds little evidence Chinese aid undermines governance or environments in Africa. The document then outlines China's Belt and Road Initiative and Digital Silk Road projects expanding across the continent while acknowledging concerns about growing Chinese influence in Africa. It concludes by reflecting on implications for debt sustainability and shifts in global power as the US reconsiders its
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Introduction to China's involvement in Africa through its development assistance model.
Differentiation between traditional (DAC) and emerging donors, with emphasis on China.
Concerns regarding China's support for regimes and shifting balance in development aid.
Debunking the myth of a fixed Chinese aid model, emphasizing principles guiding assistance.
Key motivations for Chinese foreign aid: political, economic, and strategic objectives.
Evaluating the salience and challenges of Chinese foreign assistance, including reputational issues.
Analysis of China's aid model in Africa, addressing perceptions of 'rogue aid' and hypotheses.
Details about China's Belt and Road Initiative footprint, impacting African infrastructure.
Exploring China's Digital Silk Road in Africa and related concerns on economy and politics.
Key considerations on the implications of China's activities in Africa including a debt crisis.
Acknowledgment of questions and provision of contact information for further engagement.
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China in Africa
- 1. China in Africa Joshua C.Gellers, PhD COAS Scholars Lecture Series 19 January 2022 Photo: Christopher Herwig/Reuters
- 2. Roadmap 1) Differences betweentraditional and (re)emerging donors 2) Chinese development assistance, drivers, and impacts 3) Chinese development assistance in Africa 5) Observations about China’s role in African development 2 4) Belt and Road Initiative and Digital Silk Road
- 3. Donor Types Traditional Donors •DAC countries • France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, United States, etc. Emerging Donors • Non-DAC countries • China, India, Iran, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, etc. 3
- 4. (Re)emerging Donors? • Myth: Emergingdonors like China and India represent a new trend in foreign aid • Reality: (See timeline below) 4
- 5. Concerns of TraditionalDonors • Support rogue regimes, reduce access to raw materials, shift economic relationships away from the West Undermine Western interests abroad • Esp. in terms of environmental protection, good governance, and transparency Change the rules of the development assistance game 5
- 6. A “Beijing” Consensus? • Myth:China has established a unique model of development assistance intended to rival the West’s Washington Consensus model • Reality: BC is not a fixed package of development aid, but a flexible approach to assistance • Based on 8 principles of foreign aid (Enlai 1964): – (i) equality and mutual benefit; – (ii) respect for sovereignty with no conditions attached; – (iii) provided through interest‐free or low interest loans; – (iv) promotes self‐reliance, not dependency; – (v) quick results; – (vi) uses best‐quality equipment of Chinese manufacture; – (vii) emphasises technology transfer through technical assistance; – (viii) Chinese experts will live at the standard of local experts. 6
- 7. Drivers of ChineseForeign Assistance Political: Promote ‘One China’ policy Economic: Access resources & markets Strategic: Enhance status, assert sovereignty 7
- 8. Impacts of ChineseForeign Assistance Salience, lack of empirical evidence Progress from the policy banks The deference problem 8 A bad reputation at home and abroad
- 9. China in Africa 9 Source:www.chinaafricaloandata.org Foreign aid or foreign assistance?
- 10. ‘Rogue Aid’ toAfrica? Hypothesis Result H1: Poor environmental credentials Non-linear H2: Need for foreign assistance No support H3: Plentiful natural resources No support H4: Compete with DAC countries No support H5: Poor institutions No support 10 Source: Gellers and Jeffords (2019)
- 11. China’s Belt andRoad Initiative 11
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- 13. Digital Silk Road 13 Source:Dekker et al. (2020)
- 14. DSR in Africa 14 Source:Tugendhat and Voo (2021) DSR Announced
- 15. Digital Silk Road Concerns 15 • Crowdout Western business, expand into foreign markets, transform Chinese economy Commercial: • Counter Western influence in the developing world, shape global technology standards, become AI superpower Political: • Expand surveillance, strengthen authoritarian regimes, control the flow of information Security:
- 16. China in Africa:Reflections • A looming debt crisis? • Shifting power in the global economy • Time for the US to rethink its strategy 16
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- 18. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS? 18 Email: [email protected] Twitter:@JoshGellers Website: www.joshgellers.com
Editor's Notes
- #5 Adapted from Walz and Ramachandran (2010): https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/134751/1425691_file_Walz_Ramachandran_Brave_New_World_FINAL.pdf.
- #9 Empirical scholarship on the relationship between political factors and aid distribution has demonstrated that China is no more likely than Western donors to steer money toward countries based on their politics, and the Asian giant does not deliberately invest in countries based on their availability of natural resources (Dreher and Fuchs 2015; Gellers 2017).
- #11 Adapted from Gellers and Jeffords (2019), “Environmental Determinants of Chinese Development Finance in Africa,” Journal of Environment and Development, 28(2): 111-141: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1070496518825282.