Journal of Law and Judicial System Volume 1, Issue 4, 2018, PP 25-33 ISSN 2637-5893 (Online)

An Analysis of and Africa Relations with Special Focus on “One Belt And One Road”

Muhammad Sabil Farooq1, Nazia Feroze-Master2, Dr. Yuan Tong Kai3 1, 2, 3Department of Sociology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, P.R. China. *Corresponding Author: Dr. Muhammad Sabil Farooq, Department of Sociology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, P.R. China.

ABSTRACT China’s “One Belt One Road” Initiative has been billed as its most ambitious project ever in trying to shape and influence behavior in the international system in line with her growing stature. At the same time, growing Sino-Africa relations have been the subject of scholarly debate with supporters taking an optimistic view, also presented by China itself, of this relationship being a win-win partnership. Critics led by the US argue China is just using Africa to extract resources for its use, an allegation it refutes. The authors therefore sought to look at Sino-African relations but focusing on the implementation of “One Belt, One Road” in the African continent. Being the center piece of China’s foreign policy since 2013, a study on OBOR in Africa will give an understanding and hopefully answer some questions surrounding these relations. The lack of official bilateral agreements between China and some African countries has been examined, together with the possibility of expansion of the OBOR initiative to cover more African states. Keywords: China-Africa, One Belt One Road, Soft Power, Expansion

INTRODUCTION the researcher hopes to shade more light on the position Africa holds in China‟s plans, China is In a span of 3 decades, China has transformed important to Africa, but is Africa also important from an agricultural, self-contained and inward to China? Or is it a case of same path, different looking state into a global economic power actors in perpetuating the bit-part player and house second only to the United States (Cheung down-trodden supplier of raw materials that & Lee, 2015). In line with her growing stature in Africa was relegated by the Western world, only the international system, China has sought to that now, China is involved. China‟s deepening exert influence on the global stage, from Latin engagement with Africa has led to it being America, Middle East, South East Asia, to labeled as a new colonialism and or neo Africa (Friedberg, 2009). One way of achieving imperialism (Naidu, 2007). this and as part of China‟s “global grand strategy” is the 21st Century Silk Road The Initiative: A glimpse into China‟s Strategy Economic Belt Initiative, informally known as The original “Silk Road” was established over “One Belt, One Road”. In the same vain, Sino- 2100 years ago during the Han Dynasty (206 African relations have grown exponentially BC-24 AD) to promote trade and cultural since the 1955 Bandung conference. According development between China, Asia, Africa and to the 2011 economic outlook report, China has Europe and covered over 7000km (Li et al, surpassed the US as Africa‟s single largest 2015). The “New Silk Road Economic Belt” trading partner in volumes1 from a paltry USD christened fondly as “One Belt One Road” 1 billion in 1980 to USD 200 billion in 20142, initiative or Yídàiyílù was introduced by China‟s leading to critics and supporters to hail and President as the centerpiece of his question this new partnership between Africa foreign and economic policy in 2013. First to be and China at the same time. This paper seeks to introduced in September 2013 at Nazarbayev re-look at this partnership through the lenses of University in Kazakhstan was the “Silk Road the “One Belt, One Road” Initiative. It seeks to Economic Belt, “ followed closely in October find answers to the extent of Africa‟s by the second part, the “Maritime Silk Road” involvement in China‟s global strategy, its status announced in Indonesia (Ravi, 2016).It is by far in Africa, projected benefits and how they will the most significant and far-reaching project be distributed between China and Africa, and China has ever embarked on (Varlare&Putten, future prospects. By answering these questions, 2015). However, first to moot the idea was a Journal of Law and Judicial System V1 ● I4 ● 2018 25 An analysis of China and Africa relations with special focus on “One Belt and One Road”

Chinese scholar, Wang who in 2012 wrote an will therefore pass through a number of opinion article to the countries. The Maritime Silk Road (MSR) on conceptualizing this (Li, et al 2015; Callahan, the other hand is its oceanic counterpart. This 2016). The blue print dubbed “Chinese Marshall involves the construction of a network of sea Plan” by some critics and defended by supporters, ports in the South China Sea, Indian Ocean and will define his administration and legacy. The the South Pacific Ocean. It will essentially connect One Belt One Road project or OBOR is South East Asia, Oceania, East Africa and North essentially comprised of two interdependent and Africa through the Mediterranean. The core interrelated concepts; the “Silk Road Economic pillars of the initiative are “promotion of policy Belt” and the “Maritime Silk Road”. Essentially, coordination, facilitating connectivity, unimpeded the “belt” is comprised of a network of roads, trade, financial integration people-to-people rails, power grids and gas pipelines that run over bonds” (Varlare&Putten, 2015). The African land from Central China in Xi‟an, the capital of section of the belt and road is of concern for this Shanxi Province through Central Asia, to paper. It covers three countries; Kenya, Djibouti Moscow, Rotterdam and Venice (EURASIA). and Egypt. This conglomerate of infrastructural projects

Fig1. The 21st Century New Silk Road Source: Li, 2015 One Belt, One Road in Numbers unclear, with many documents indicating Egypt as the sole African state to be involved in this The Initiative cuts across 3 continents of Asia, initiative. Various factors have been attributed Europe and Africa. It targets 4.4 billion people for the inclusion of these sole 3 African states in 67 countries directly representing 63% of the into the center piece of China‟s 21st Century total global population. At a GDP of 2.1 trillion diplomacy. US dollars, this represents 29% of the total world GDP (Leverett et al, 2015 as quoted in Realism, Security and Global Geopolitics. Fasslabend, 2015). Two financial sources, the World politics has been characterized by power Asia Infrastructural Investment Bank (AIIB, politics. The horn of Africa region and the Suez USD100 billion) and the Silk Road Fund Canal has been traditionally a Western-controlled (SRF)with a funding portfolio of USD 40 billion zone with the US and her allies being the will bankroll the bulk of the projects within the primary guarantor for maritime security. belt and road (Cheung & Lee, 2015). The Whichever powerful state controls the security project impact as a conclusion of these numbers of that region, also controls the maritime trade is therefore substantial. routes between Asia, Europe and Africa. Egypt STATUS OF „ONE BELT, ONE ROAD‟ IN and Djibouti, 2 of the three African states part of AFRICA the OBOR are strategically located at the heart of global geo-politics playground. Djibouti is According to , 3 countries quite unique as it now hosts military bases for in Africa are directly involved in the belt and the US, France and now China. While the fight road initiative; Kenya, Djibouti and Egypt. against pirates has often been cited as the However, the extent of their involvement is propellant behind this, one can‟t quite push the

26 Journal of Law and Judicial System V1 ● I4 ● 2018 An analysis of China and Africa relations with special focus on “One Belt and One Road” power struggles as being the true variable for billion for these three African countries combined, these great powers having such a heavy military with Egypt contributing the largest share of presence in the region. The entry into Djibouti 330.8 billion US dollars in GDP (World Bank, and the region by China could tilt and re align 2016). Together, these countries also have a security partnerships that have underpinned combined population of over 138 million people. global order since 1945 (The Sun, 22nd August, 2016). CORE PROJECTS AND PROJECTED IMPACT BY COUNTRY For Egypt, its strategic geographical location at the Suez Canal gives it an indispensable status, Projected Impact in Kenya explaining why it‟s the only African nation to With a GDP of 63.40 billion US dollars and a officially sign bilateral agreements with China population of 46 million as at 2015 (World on One Belt, One Road. The initiative simply Bank, 2016), Kenya is the point of entry for the cannot afford to exclude Egypt. On the other maritime silk road into Africa from Asia. hand, the inclusion of Djibouti has been a result Through an analysis of documents and news of “logical” assumptions than from official items, the projects linked to OBOR initiative pronouncements. This can purely be explained could be deciphered. Amongst the core projects under the quest for global dominance and the are upgrading of the Mombasa Port, building of geopolitics of the horn of Africa as stated earlier. a new ultra-modern port in Lamu, building a With 30% of world shipping going through the new standard gauge railway line linking entrance of the Red Sea from the Indian Ocean Mombasa port, the capital Nairobi, and the land and on to the Suez Canal, Djibouti and Egypt locked neighboring countries. The railway and are very critical (Financial Times, April 1, 2016). pipeline is envisaged to link the ports in Kenya, Though Kenya is on the semi-official route map to oil fields in South Sudan and Uganda, while of the OBOR, no official declaration has been also joining with Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi made by both governments. Its inclusion makes facilitating exports for these countries products. an interesting case as no direct security, political, The railway line is expected to cover 2,700km economic or trade link can be noticed from the with phase I, the 610 kilometer stretch from onset. Kenya is neither resource rich, nor is it a Mombasa to Nairobi construction underway. The high trading partner to . Its location estimated cost is 25 billion US dollars, with along the East African Coast of the Indian China‟s Exim Bank being the principal financier Ocean, in relation to some key China partners covering 90% of the costs.4 financing for the however, can give pointers into why it was construction of the new port and the pipeline is coopted into OBOR. Geographically, Kenya unclear, with ambiguity on what role the OBOR borders South Sudan which is a key exporter of institutions AIIB and SRF have in the Kenyan oil to China. With the violence between North chapter of this initiative. Worth noting here is and South Sudan being far from over, the need the lack of a clear bilateral agreement for an alternative route to export oil to China. specifically highlighting how Kenya and China Kenya offers this alternative hence perhaps will work towards the new Silk Road venture? explaining her inclusion in OBOR. In Kenya the most salient impact is on the OBOR Presence by Region infrastructural front, with an estimated foreign direct capital investment of USD 25 billion on the railway modernization, pipeline from Kenya to South Sudan at USD 4 billion, while Lamu port and associated infrastructure investment will be USD 27 billion when complete (Daily Nation, March 6 2016). This is capital which Kenya as a country cannot raise, but OBOR and its associated financial institutions can come in and bridge the deficit. When fully operational, Fig2. Source Author’s own depiction these projects will benefit oil export from Uganda and South Sudan, whose conflict with Looking at the geographical reach of this Sudan has led to challenges on exporting her oil initiative, out of a possible 67 countries that are to China and other countries. At the height of a part of it, only 3 countries (representing a successful oil production by Sudan before the paltry 4%) are from Africa. The World Bank conflict, China imported 5% of its oil from the estimates a cumulative GDP of USD395.8 country (Shinn, 2014). However, due to the

Journal of Law and Judicial System V1 ● I4 ● 2018 27 An analysis of China and Africa relations with special focus on “One Belt and One Road” conflict and resultant separation between the “imagine the New Suez Canal, completed with North and South, Sudan retained 25% of the oil Chinese financing and managed by a Chinese fields, while South Sudan retained 75%. With company as the gateway between Europe and conflict still persisting, China‟s investment in Asia”. The benefits will be immense. Chinese Sudanese oil is not bearing fruits as optimum footprints in matters of global security, and production of oil has not been attained. specifically the Mediterranean region will be felt. The Kenyan route therefore offers an opportunity for South Sudan to export her oil to Projected Impact in Djibouti China without being frustrated by the North, a win-win situation for South Sudan and China. The involvement of Djibouti in OBOR is not as On the same breath, discovery of oil fields in clear as Egypt‟s. However, there are 14 Northern Uganda also diversifies oil import megaprojects funded by China as part of the belt source markets for China. and road initiative, worth 9.8 billion US dollars. These are aside from the military base at port Uganda can export her oil through Kenya, as she Dolareh, which is the main investment aimed at is landlocked. With the Kenyan route secure, cushioning the maritime route”s security China has also taken care of any prospects for interests in East Africa and the Indian Ocean future OBOR expansion into the African (Edens, 2015). hinterland, while getting a strategic port of call in the event of any security challenge in the horn This base is of strategic importance to China as of Africa region. it is the first Chinese military base of any kind, outside of Chinese soil (Linehan, 2016). Projected Impact in Egypt Officially, the base is to shove up anti-piracy in the area, but speculation is rife that it could be Tiezzi (2016) argues that, without Egypt, the used to guard the trade artillery linking Asia and Maritime Silk road is unfeasible. This makes Europe, through the Suez Canal which China is Egypt an indispensable member of OBOR. In modernizing. fact, its centrality to the initiative explains why it‟s the only African country whose President The base will act as “comprehensive supply Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi formally signed a point” for Chinese ships, with berths for loading memorandum of understanding with China with and off-loading cargo. The estimated cost for regards to the OBOR initiative in January 2016. construction of the military base is USD 590 The Suez Canal is the transit point between the billion, and will mainly be supported by China Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. As an (Liu, 2016). Military expert Li Jie summarizes added sweetener financing to the core project the significance of this undertaking, “the depot with the “road” China gave USD 1 billion to will play an important role inthe “one belt, one Egyptian central bank, and USD700 million road” strategy and enable China to respond loan to the National Bank. Separately, the rapidly to emergencies in North Africa, Middle expansion of the Suez Canal over a 10-year East and South Asia”. period, and building of a new administrative With a population of 887,900 in 2015, and a capital for Egypt have been initiated, with the combined GDP of 1.589 billion US dollars, colossal sums of USD 230 million and USD 45 Djibouti does not offer much in terms of market billion respectively being the costs that China and trade for Chinese products. Other reasons will foot. The infrastructural impact has already besides trade therefore informed China‟s decision been highlighted. to enter Djibouti into the MSR initiative. However, aside from this, the OBOR initiative China‟s entry into the country with a military in Egypt is expected to have other positive base makes Djibouti to be the most important impacts. The China-Egypt Suez Economic Zone ally in political and security matters for 3 of the a result of the initiative will create over 10,000 5 permanent members of the UNSC. Aside from jobs for Egyptians. Egypt will also get a brand China, Djibouti also hosts a French military new administrative capital aside from Cairo. base and the biggest US base in Africa, Camp President Al-Sisi gets to have a partner in China Lemonnier. for his ambitious projects. On the Chinese side, Russia is also thought to harbor ambitions of with the completion and operation of the Suez setting up a base here (Edens, 2015; Linehan, Canal falling under Chinese control, this comes 2016). This has propelled the small horn of with substantial influence on power and security Africa nation to the coveted status of being dynamics within the region previously almost invincible in world politics. Aside from dominated by the West. Tiezzi (2016) says 28 Journal of Law and Judicial System V1 ● I4 ● 2018 An analysis of China and Africa relations with special focus on “One Belt and One Road” the politics, economically, the USD 1.589 Angola (which brings to total 4,000km railway billion dollar GDP African country (World in Angola constructed by China), 560km Bank, 2015), is in dire need of capital. As part Belinga-Santa Clara railway in Gabon, 172km of the OBOR financing, China will inject 9.8 railway in Libya and 430km rail in Mauritania billion US dollars to infrastructural projects to name but a few. other than the military port base, which will cost To put this into perspective, the entire African a further USD 590 billion. rail network is 50,000km (Executive Research This is a substantial improvement in its Associates, 2009). On the other hand, China is infrastructural investment. China on the other constructing port facilities in Kenya, Tanzania, hand, gets a strategic position in the geo-politics Gabon, and Djibouti among others, with most of North Africa, Middle East and Europe, a road construction being handled by Chinese sphere previously dominated by the US. It‟s contractors, using Chinese financing. reported that China‟s entry into Djibouti was The 1302km Angola railway line will be linked actively opposed by the US, even going as far as with Angola-Zambia and TAZARA in future. proposing the US to double its rent for Camp On port construction, China is involved in Lemonnier, due to its implications to the geo- construction of the Lamumega port in Kenya, politics of the region. China has therefore Bagamoyo port in Tanzania, Santa Clara deep clearly scored one against the US in the horn of water port in Gabon amongst others. It‟s safe to Africa. This, coupled with her control of the say even without OBOR therefore, China is Suez Canal, will give her immense powers. heavily involved in opening up Africa. OBOR IN AFRICA: OPPORTUNITIES AND What Can OBOR Offer on Infrastructure? CHALLENGES Firstly, with China involved in all these As earlier shown, Africa‟s inclusion in the Belt infrastructural projects in Africa, coupled with and Road Initiative is minute. While much has OBOR”s vision for improving connectivity been said about growing Sino-African relations, among countries, the initiative will offer a a study of Africa in China‟s most ambitious ever centralized, clear vision, and concerted effort in project does not support the importance that streamlining infrastructural development in China places in Africa as a region and continent. Africa. 3 countries out of 67 in the OBOR do not in any way support the claim that Africa is an A case in point is the railway line in Angola important ally to China. which is complete on their side of the border, but under-utilized because neither Democratic In fact, China‟s “2015 in Africa” policy paper Republic of Congo nor Zambia have linked up does not mention “One Belt, One Road” in to connect to the port, hence hindering efforts to Africa. In its current states, what opportunities export their products. and challenges does OBOR have in Africa? Secondly, capital for infrastructural Opportunities Current Infrastructural development in Africa comes from various Projects in Africa Chinese bank loans under individual bilateral The 1,780km Tanzania Zambia Railway line agreements entered into by these countries. (TAZARA) has symbolized China‟s presence in Through OBOR, the capital inflow can be Africa since the 1970”s. Currently China is clearly centrally monitored through the AIIB involved in numerous mega infrastructural and the SRF. projects in Africa. For purposes of this paper, This need is further strengthened with China some of those which lie within the mandate of signing a memorandum of understanding with OBOR will be highlighted. Top on the list is the the African Union (AU) in January 2015 to 2,700km East African Railway line. This includes connect all 54 countries with high speed rails, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South ports and roads. Sudan. The traditional “equatorial land bridge” which is As indicated earlier, extent of involvement of the natural trade route between East and West OBOR affiliated institutions in financing the Africa can be a good starting point for OBOR in Kenyan part are not clear, though China‟s Exim Africa expansion. This route begins in Kenya, bank has been linked. 8Another major railway Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Congo‟s Central project is the 1,315km Kano-Lagos railway line African Republic, to the West in Douala in Nigeria, the 1,302km Bengue railway line in Cameroon.

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Fig3. The Equatorial Land Bridge Source: Skycraper.com Increase China’s Soft Power quoted in Yuan-kang, 2010) . This is essentially, one goal of OBOR. In essence, through OBOR, China‟s fellow competitors in global influence, China‟s vision of a new modernity, enjoy considerable advantage in Africa due to characterized by free flowing ideas, goods, colonialism and history that exists between services and people to people engagement, and Africa and the West. Joseph Nye (1990) defines that shared economic future, common prosperity, soft power as when “one country gets other would replace suspicion, competition and power countries to want what it wants”. This means, play. 14Callahan (2016) argues in his paper the country uses attraction to get support by “China‟s “Asian Dream”: The Belt Road other states rather than the traditional use of Initiative and the new regional order” that military force and coercion. China has over the Beijing is using new ideas like “China dream” years strived to increase it‟s soft power over and “Asian dream” to build what Chinese other competitors. Through her slogan of leaders call a “community of shared destiny.” “peaceful development” (hepingfazhan) she has sought to create a niche for herself as a peace This community begins in Asia which China at loving, development minded global citizen, who the epicenter, and would gradually aim to has noble intention in her relations with other conquer the global order. This is the gist of states. (Yuan-kang, 2010). Indeed, this rhetoric China‟s new vision of global governance to has been repeatedly cited by Chinese diplomatic replace the Western fronted status quo. officials, and has earned China many friends. Compared to the US, UK, Germany and Japan, OBOR as a grand strategy, squarely falls within China has less soft power abilities in Africa. the realm of peaceful development as espoused, These countries have for many years used with its commitment to peace and economic language and culture (largely due to prosperity along the belt and road, and amongst colonization), and through aid and donor agencies. all states involved. In a world dominated by the The United States Agency for International US hegemony and influence in virtually all the Development (USAID) has acted to instill spheres, perhaps building soft power is the only democratic ideals of the US in Africa, the way China can earn the trust of her neighbors, Bretton woods institutions have propagated while at the same time building a modern state Western free-market policies, while United both in terms of her people, economy, and Kingdom Agency for International Development military. Any other strategy other than a soft (UKAID) and Japan International Cooperation peaceful rise might trigger US counterbalancing Agency (JICA) have served to further UK”s and measures and perhaps destabilize Chinese Japan‟s soft power aspirations. China on the society, leading to civil unrest and other issues other hand has risen largely on a different path. that might curtail accumulation of power and It has none of these organizations to further her her rise. Assigning primacy over economic soft power in Africa. OBOR as a source of soft matters therefore is designed to prevent drawing power is not on the projects themselves being attention to her military pursuits, which would implemented in Africa, but the “Beijing attract counterbalancing measures leading to a consensus” which offers an anti-thesis to the Soviet-style collapse, while earning China allies “Washington consensus” (Gill & Huang, 2006). both regionally and globally (Goldstein, 2005 as The “” is one which does not

30 Journal of Law and Judicial System V1 ● I4 ● 2018 An analysis of China and Africa relations with special focus on “One Belt and One Road” give a standard solution to all situations, but many countries in Africa are experiencing wars which encourages development based on the of “regime change” with the Democratic Republic unique circumstances of individual states, and a of Congo being a perfect example, while the “ruthless willingness to experiment and innovate”. Greater Sudan “War of Devolution” led to While for very long the US and her allies splitting into north and south. In time though, pushed the rhetoric that economic freedom is South Sudan has also started experiencing its intertwined with political freedom (Washington own war, what can be called “inter-communal consensus), over the years, the Chinese model insurrection”. 17Conflicts are not limited to has earned many admirers all over the globe. An these, with Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Australian opinion piece entitled “Chinese Congo Brazaville, Angola, Nigeria, Liberia, model passes the test” and New York Times Kenya, Libya, Central African Republic, just a columnist Thomas Freidman‟s confession that few of the African states to get into war and he was “envious of the Chinese political system, violence within the last decade or so. Greig, where leaders can, and do, just order that Mason and Hamner (2016) have identified and problems be solved” are prominent examples of georeferenced over 73 different civil conflicts in admiration of the Beijing consensus. Africa. In their paper, they argue that, conflicts begin, continue and end from depending on the As part of this new idea from China, OBOR will logic behind the war. The potential gain from addcredence to China‟s claim of inclusive these wars is mostly control of massive natural development, as opposed to similar initiatives resources which motivates parties to engage in by the US (like the Marshal plan for rebuilding long and drawn out wars. These wars have come Europe). 16 OBOR”s focus on trade between with massive economic and infrastructural Africa and China, and the inclusion of the damage to the countries affected. In South continent in this initiative will boost further the Sudan alone, China imports 5% of its oil when commitment China shows to Africa, not due to operations are at full capacity. 19However, the any ulterior motives but as a true ally of Africa, civil war within South Sudan itself, and conflict thereby furthering the narrative in support of the with the neighboring Sudan, has disrupted oil “Beijing consensus” as the best for Africa to production from the oil fields, and subsequent replace the failed “Washington consensus” shipping of this oil to China. Zhou (2014) goes fronted by the Bretton woods institutions and further to posit that, the war in Sudan means the West for many years. production was reduced by over 30% capacity While the West emphasized on governance, from 245,000 barrels of oil per day, to less than political and economic reform along what they 160,000 barrels per day. thought was acceptable to them in order to Operations in oil blocks 1, 2 and 4 were access development funds in the 1990”s completely shut down in December 2013 (through the Structural Adjustment Programs by following outbreak of war, and Chinese oil World Bank and IMF), OBOR and affiliate personnel evacuated from site. This is aside financial institutions are cognizant of the fact from the shutdown occasioned from conflict that one-size-fits-all solutions are not realistic. between the two Sudan‟s with regards to transit Hence, they let states handle their own internal fees between the two Sudan‟s. While Sudan was matters while helping them access the funding demanding a fee of 30 USD per barrel of oil they require for their infrastructural development. pumped through its pipeline, South Sudan The immense “soft power” that will arise from wanted to pay the standard worldwide fee of this will propel China into great heights in 3USD per barrel. global politics. On the physical infrastructure, conflict has a Challenges to OBOR in Africa Intra and damaging impact on roads, railway lines and Inter-State Conflicts other infrastructural developments. A case in The biggest challenge to OBOR in Africa is the point is in Angola where over 4,000km of its state of perpetual warfare experienced throughout rail network was destroyed in conflict and had the continent. War and conflicts have exacted a to be repaired before it could be operational heavy burden to Africa's development since again.As a prototype example therefore, the time immemorial. Zeleza (2008) as quoted by success of OBOR expansion in Africa would Ndlovu-Gatsheni (2012) highlighted the five depend on how China navigates the conflict different types of conflicts that have plagued terrain of the African jungle for full potential to Africa; anticolonial, imperial, international, be realized. intra-state and inter-state conflicts. At present,

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With conflicts experienced in DRC, CAR, PRC can seize the opportunity presented by Burundi, instability in Egypt among other OBOR to streamline its foreign direct investment countries, China‟s resolve will be tested in in the continent to leave lasting foot print. launching and sustaining the OBOR initiative in Indeed, successful implementation will result Africa. into firmly entrenching China as a “true friend” for Africa. China has global ambitions, while Domestic Opposition to Projects Africa is in dire need of capital for In many countries in Africa, civil society is infrastructural development, and OBOR offers present and highly vibrant. This has witnessed the best platform to pursue this. to opposition by civil society groups to various REFERENCES infrastructural projects which are deemed to have adverse effects on the community. In [1] Achuka, V (2016), “Kenya to Soldier on Even Kenya as a case in point, government has had to as Partners Pull out” Daily Nation March 3, pay millions of dollars to communities affected 2016.http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Kenya-to- by the standard gauge railway line as soldier-on-even-as-partners-in-Lapsset-pull- out/1056-3104 914-2mkaoy/index.html. compensation for the project to take off. In some instances, the project had to be suspended by the [2] Anami, L (2016), “Tribunal Blocks Standard courts until compensation has been carried Gauge Railway Route through Nairobi National Park”, the Standard, September 20th, 2016. out.22 In another case, environmentalists took www.standardmedia.co.ke. the government to court in opposition of the [3] Callahan, W.A (2016). “China‟s “Asian railway line passing through the Nairobi National Dream”: The Belt Road Initiative and the new Park, arguing it will adversely affect the natural regional order”, Asian Journal of Comparative habitat of wildlife within the park. 23Though Politics, Vol.1, No. 18. ultimately the project will continue, civil society [4] Cascais, A (2015), “Are Africa‟s Railroads on in Kenya and many African countries is a Track for Sustainable Development? DW challenge that has to be overtaken, more so by Akademie, July 10, 2015 www.dw.com/en/are- Chinese firms who might be experiencing this africas-railroads-on-track-for-sustainable- for the first time. They will increase costs to the development/a18570402. projects, while duration of implementation [5] Cheung, F & Lee, A (2015), “Thirty Years of might also be lengthened to counter for court Unprecedented Growth”, CLSA www.clsa.com. appearances and consultations with the [6] Colombian, N (2012), “Growing Sudan, South communities involved. Encouraging though is Sudan Oil Impasse Has High Stakes”, Voice of the fact that Egypt and Djibouti, the other two America, February 4 2012, http://www.voa African countries currently in OBOR have not news.com/english/news/africa/Growing-Sudan- experienced similar opposition from civil South-Sudan-Oil-Impasse-Has-High-Stake s- society. 138712714.html. [7] Edens, R (2015), “China‟s Naval Plans for CONCLUSION Djibouti: a Road, a Belt, or a string of Pearls? China continues to be an important ally for the “The Diplomat, www.thediplomat.com May 14, African continent to date. The One Belt One 2015. Road Initiative offers an opportunity to deepen [8] Friedman, T.L (2009) “Our One Party Sino-Africa Relations and should be explored Democracy”, New York Times, September 8, further by the leadership of both China and 2009. Africa. The current status of OBOR in Africa is [9] Greig, J.M, Mason, T.D & Hammer, J (2016) minute. As it is, OBOR in Africa, when looked “Win, Lose or Draw in the Fog of Civil War”, at in terms of the importance that China puts in Conflict, Management and Peace Science, pp. 1-21. Africa does not mirror the optimism that Sino- African relationship has attracted in the recent [10] Kennedy, S & Parker, D. A, (2015 April, 3) “Building China‟s “One Belt, One Road”, past. It shows a discord between the rhetoric Center for Strategic and International Studies, about the significance and growth in the http://csis.org/publication/building-chinas-one- relationship, Vis a Vis the reality, which is that belt-one-road. Africa remains a footnote in China‟s plans [11] Large, D (2008), Beyond the Dragon in the globally. Bush: Study of China-Africa Relations”, 3 countries out of 67 involved in the project do African Affairs, Vol.107, No.426, pp.45-61. not give an optimistic picture. However, the [12] Li, P et al (2015), Building a new Sustainable opportunity for further cooperation is still there. “Silk Road Economic Belt”, Environmental Earth Sciences, Vol.74, pp.7267-7270.

32 Journal of Law and Judicial System V1 ● I4 ● 2018 An analysis of China and Africa relations with special focus on “One Belt and One Road”

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Citation: Muhammad Sabil Farooq et al.. “An analysis of China and Africa relations with special focus on “One Belt and One Road”.” Journal of Law and Judicial System, 1(4), pp.25-33 Copyright: © 2018 Muhammad Sabil Farooq. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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