THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH

1*Omar Samba, 2Ebrima Jatta 1University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta [email protected]

Abstract This paper aims at finding out the national interest of China in conducting economic cooperation with the Gambia from 2016. Relying on qualitative inquiry, this research is informed by the theoretical concepts from national interest. In terms of national interest, the political aspect of the national interest of Morgenthau and the economic aspect of Donald E. Nuechterlein is used to analyze the national interest of China in the Gambia. To answer the research question: What is China’s national interest in their economic cooperation with the Gambia? With the qualitative research method, primarily and secondary data are collected through documentation and in-depth interview. The research finds that China has political and economic interests in the Gambia. Politically, China’s interest in the Gambia is clearly stated in the joint communique signed between China and the Gambia when they were resuming their diplomatic relations in 2016. As a form of this agreement, the Gambia is supporting the One- China principle by not opening official relations with Taiwan. Finally, China retains an economic interest to secure the Gambian market for Chinese products and natural resources for Chinese manufacturing industries. Most importantly, is the port of the Gambia which has a strategic location in the west Africa region and is crucial to the China’s belt and road initiative. China has become one of the major sources of financial support for the Gambia since resuming economic cooperation in 2016. This financial support includes giving loans, grants, aid, and trade. As can be seen from the analysis of the dependency perspective, this research shows that China uses its loans and grants to monopolized the Gambia market for Chinese goods and Chinese investment which likely creates contracts for Chinese companies and provide job opportunities for Chinese citizens. Keywords: national interest, China, The Gambia, economic cooperation, one-china principle.

Introduction experience they both shared from the colonialism of the capitalists and On 1st October 1949, the People’s imperialists (Lahtinen, 2018). The shared Republic of China was established, China history in fighting against colonialism and and most countries in Africa established ties imperialism and strive for national among themselves because of the historical Indonesian Journal of International Relations, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 80-101 © 2021 Indonesian Association for International Relations ISSN 2548-4109 electronic ISSN 2657-165X printed THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 81

independence and economic revitalization. have increased the economic relation The shared history was the main motive between Africa and China (Mlambo, behind China’s political support to African Kushamba, & Simawu, 2016). countries. China supported most of the China has been and still using the African liberation movements to fight Forum on China-Africa Cooperation against the colonialists in the African (FOCAC), which was found in 2000 to continent. A year after the Asia-Africa strengthen the China – Africa cooperation. Conference that was held in Bandung, The FOCAC is organized every three (3) Indonesia, China makes its first diplomatic years to bring together leaders of African ties with Egypt in 1956 which was later countries that have diplomatic ties with expanded to other African countries China and the Chinese leaders. The forum is (Lahtinen, 2018). important to China and Africa because, After a long-term diplomatic relation during the FOCAC trade, cooperation, aid, with nearly most of the African countries. In and grants are discussed. So, the importance the 1990s, the diplomatic relations between of the FOCAC is to help the smooth running Africa and China shifted from ideology to of China-Africa engagement (Mlambo, more economic oriented. The trade between Kushamba, & Simawu, 2016) China and Africa accelerated from $10.5 The Gambia is on the virtue of billion in 2000 to $40 billion in 2005 and recovering her economy after a twenty-two $166 billion in 2011. In terms of trade, (22) years of an authoritarian regime, which China became the major trading partner ended at the end of 2016. The GDP of the with the African continent outstanding the Gambia expected to grow by 5.4% from USA and Europe (Lahtinen, 2018). 2017 to 2018. To boost its economy, Africa and China have long term Gambia depends largely on tourism and political and economic affairs since the past trade, agriculture, financial services, and decade which has grown rapidly recently. insurance, which expanded by 10% in 2018. From 2000 to 2008 trade between Africa The Gambia is a coastal economy country; and China has grown by 1000 percent. therefore, its economy depends mostly on China is heavily investing in Africa and agriculture and foreign aid (Wahome, supporting developmental projects which 2019).

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As of 1974 to 1995, China had strong technology, infrastructure construction, diplomatic relations with The Gambia. human resources development, and However, Gambia’s surprising financial aids (Mendy, 2018). announcement that it had inked a diplomatic The Gambia which is a coastal relationship with China on Taiwan (ROC) economic country has its economic back in 1995. This has led China to backbone on agriculture including the sea. terminate its long diplomatic relations with The export of the Gambia in 2017 has The Gambia. The PRC (mainland China) increased by 8.5% to $54.9 million and runs its diplomacy on a one-China policy which fish exportation range at the second that automatically shuns all countries mainly primary products. In 2017 fish recognizing the breakaway Taiwanese export range to 21.6% of the total exports government (Mendy, 2018). (Wahome, 2019). From 2016, Chinese Since The Gambia cut ties with China fishmeal factories have started investing in from 1995, Gambia and China didn’t have the Gambia, catching fish with big fishing any diplomatic relations until the later end trawlers, which are processed in these of ’s regime, who cuts Chinese fishmeal factories and exported to relations with Taiwan in 2013 and resume China. These factories are been accused of all diplomatic relation with China in 2016 exploiting the Gambia sea and take all the (Saine & Gold, Gambia to cut ties with fishes in the river (Gbadamosi, 2018). Taiwan, China says unaware, 2013). With Recently, some young people of the change of government after the Gunjur village protested against the Chinese presidential election in 2016 from Yahya fishmeal factory named Golden Lead Jammeh to the new president of The Factory in Gunjur for environmental Gambia , who normalized pollution. The resident complained of bad and straighten the diplomatic ties between smell from the Chinese fishing factory, the Gambia and China and also attended the Golden Lead Chinese Company and the FOCAC that was held in Beijing (2017). same company polluted the nearby river by Since then the Gambia and China's dumping their discarded products in the diplomatic relations have advanced in many river. This activity by the Chinese factory fields like economics, trade, investment, has also affected tourism as tourists couldn’t THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 83

visit the polluted area because of the bad launched in December 2018. This project is smell (Gbadamosi, 2018). the three-years Upper River Region (URR) Bridge and Road project, Funded through a China became one of the major grant of Eighty Million US Dollars sources of financial support for Africa, (US$80,000,000) by the People’s Republic which includes giving loans, grants, and aid. of China. The expansion project has been The Gambia is among the African countries planned to ease movement and enhance that receive loans, aid, and grants from economic activity within the region China, through the FOCAC summit, in turn, (Barrow, 2019). the Gambia will support the “One China Policy” and will not institute official The Gambia has also taken a loan that relations or diplomatic relations with is amounted to Twenty-Five Million US Taiwan (Mendy, 2018). Dollars (US$25,000,000) concessionary loan from China to enhance the National In the Gambia, The Chinese Broadband Network (NBN) and also to companies have also engaged in improve the internet service in the Gambia construction or infrastructural sectors by (Barrow, 2019). building roads and bridges in the Gambia. This building of roads and bridges happened There are many debates on China’s after the president of the Gambia Adama involvement in Africa, some scholars Barrow visited China, were Gambia and argued that China is exploiting Africa's China signed series agreements with China natural resources. Whilst, other scholars in 2017. These agreements include argued otherwise. Like Mlambo, Kushamba developmental assistance in the building of & Simawu (2016) argued that China’s roads and bridges, loans, and trade investment in African countries are agreements (The Voice, 2018). contributing to the deindustrialization of Africa and also that China is trying to China has been funding and control the African market for Chinese constructing Bridge and Roads, Conference goods and service (2016) and today in The Hall, and the expansion of the Gambia Gambia, Chinese products has dominated National Port. One of the projects is the the local market. Bridges and Roads project which is

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Mlambo suggested that for the China- Conceptual Framework Africa relationship to be a “win-win game”, National Interest African leaders including The Gambia should make a reform of its policy In this paper, the concept of national agreements with China. Ironically, African interest is used to find out and also explain countries still need China in terms of loans, China’s national interests in holding aid, and other financial supports. Africa economic cooperation with the Gambia relies on China for development purposes from 2016. such as economic development, and National Interest is a concept in infrastructural development. China and International Relation that is used widely, Africa need each other for their national but it is the most difficult notion that has no interests, as china also relies on Africa’s formal, rigorous definition (Potvorov, natural resources for its economic growth 1994). National Interest is one of the most while Africa needs China to help financially significant key concepts in International by giving out loans, foreign aid, and grants relations. States in international relations (Mlambo, Kushamba, & Simawu, 2016) are perpetually engaging with one another

Furthermore, as there is little research with the motive of fulfilling or securing on Gambia and China relations especially their national interests. Each state’s foreign on the economic aspect, therefore I deem it policy is developed and based on its national very necessary to make research on this interest, and they act to secure or archive its issue in answering the research question, national interest (Potvorov, 1994). The what is China’s national interest in their formulation of foreign policy is based on the economic cooperation with the Gambia? national interest of a state. Therefore, the This paper will focus on finding out China’s national interest should be clear, fixed, and national interest in their economic relations politically bipartisan. Each state in the with the Gambia, besides, it shall international arena has a desire for power investigate the China-Gambia relationship and this is driven by the behavior of the from 2016. state.

Morgenthau, one of the founding fathers of the realist school of international THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 85

relations. In his work, Morgenthau explains To understand and analyze the national interest by first explaining the national interest of a state only the above concept of interest. According to him, definition is not enough. Thus, the aspect of interest is well-defined in terms of power. national interest Donald E. Nuechterlein The concept of power includes economic, (1976) in his work identified and divides ethnics, aesthetics, and religion. So, national interest into four (4) basic interests therefore, the interest of states in the as follows international arena is to acquire power Defense/ security interests: the (Burchill, The National Interest in protection of states and its citizens against International Relations Theory, 2005). the threat of physical violence directed from According to Morgenthau, the other states, or externally inspired threat to international arena is primarily a strive for its system government power between states, therefore to him, Economic interests: the improvement national interest is the strategy and of the nation-state’s economic well-being in economic capability to gain power, but he their affairs with other states. additional, stated that the definition of power could change at some point in time World order interests: the meaning that sometimes economic power preservation of an international economic will be more relevant for states while and political order in which the nation-state sometimes military power will be more might be secure, and in which its citizens relevant (Burchill, The National Interest in and trade may function peacefully beyond International Relations Theory, 2005). its borders. Morgenthau’s political interest, which Ideological interests: the security and explains that each state or nation protecting continuance of a set of values which the or securing its political, physical, and people of a nation-state share and believe to cultural entity. He claims that the be unanimously good (Nuechterlein, 1976). fundamental national interest of a state is to According to Frankel's definition of protect its political, physical, and cultural national interest, He divided it into two (2) identity (Morgenthau, 1951). broad categories: Objective and subjective approaches. For Frankel, the objectives

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approach defined or explain national research strategy that puts more emphasis interest as a notion that is determined by on words rather than quantification in the some objectively definable principles and collection and analysis of data (Bryman, Subjective approach understand national 2012) The method or technique that was interest as a continually transforming used in the study to collect data focused on diverse set of subjective references two methods namely: interviews and (Frankel, 1970). documentations. The researcher purposively targeted certain informants, Thus, using the realist perspective of who are experts, and have experience in the national interest states decisions on field of Sino-Africa relations. Five (5) pursuing their national interest can be interviews were conducted, in which four regarded as a rational choice, which is fixed (4) of them are scholars or researchers in the and permanent. There are some limitations field of international relations and economy, to explain and analyses the concept of focusing mostly on China- Africa relations national interest, the realist approach can be and a Gambia government official. particularly helpful in examining visible Documentation includes the following phenomena of international politics with minutes of a meeting, websites, case notes, regards to the content of interests that are mission statements, newspapers, policy usually regarded as material forces. documents, available literature, etc. which Consequently, under a realist are in line with the research topic (Hancock, framework, examines the national interest Ockleford, & Windridge, 2009). of China in its economic cooperation with The type of data that are collected in the Gambia, focusing on the political aspect this research is primary and secondary data. of Morgenthau; and the economic aspects of The primary data includes government national interests of Neuchterlein. With this, documents and official speeches obtained it is expected to discover China’s objective from the government of the Gambia or national interests in the Gambia. government of the People’s republic of Methodology China through their official websites. The Qualitative research method is used in secondary data were obtained from library this research. Qualitative research is a sources, an online database like jstor, and THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 87

reliable websites. Many academic journals Assistance” to aid African countries. China have provided online versions, which can be used this aid as an instrument to also found in online databases with the promote its political interests (Sun, 2014). university account. China has been supporting many African countries during their struggle for independence and during their post- The National Interest of China in Its independence period. This has brought Economy Cooperation with The Gambia China's relation to a group of African States engage with each other in the countries. One of the most visible and international system and build bilateral or famous foreign aid of china to Africa is the multilateral diplomatic relations base on Tanzania-Zambia railway. According to their national interest and they make sure Sun (2014) in the 1970s, Chinese foreign aid that their national interest is secure. As highly contributed to building diplomatic lamented by Munafrizal Mana “National relations with a bunch of African countries, Interest remains the main reason for about nineteen countries including the countries to involve in international Gambia (Sun, 2014). relations and have international cooperation The Gambia has been shifting with other countries” (Manan, 2017). between China and Taiwan since Gambia’s Historically, Since China first had independence in 1965. In 1968, The Gambia contact with African countries during the had bilateral relations with Taiwan and this Bandung Conference in 1955, that is where was motivated because The Gambia and China saw some common ground and Taiwan have similar experiences and a lot in empathy for African countries, as they share common. Stated Bukhari Sillah and the same experience and the same history of Mohammed Jammeh, the Gambia get into a colonialism and imperialism by the relationship with Taiwan because the capitalist. They all when through the Gambia sees Taiwan as a good example and struggle for independence after the second they both have common similarities. world war. With these shared experiences, Gambia and Taiwan are both agrarian China in 1964 issued the “Eight Principle of countries with a resource-poor country. Foreign Economic and Technological They are both curved by the neighboring

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countries that are more powerful than them. China that influence The Gambia to shift its They both have the only sea as their only relation from Taiwan to China (Jeng, 2006- access to the rest of the world and both 2016: The Gambia's Foreign Policy: The Gambia and Taiwan adopted democratic gradual shift toward China and Gulf, 2018). free-market policy. This are some of the In 1995 when the AFPRC government factor or similarities that led the Gambia to overthrow and took over. Jammeh’s choose Taiwan over China (Sillah & government broke diplomatic ties with Jammeh, 2007) this has prompted the 2005 China and resume diplomatic relations with agreement of agricultural technical Taiwan. The diplomatic relations of the cooperation between the government of Gambia and Taiwan went up to the Taiwan and The Gambia. Among the things ambassadorial level with diplomatic in the agreement is the extension of respective in Taipei and . Taiwan technical assistance for development of rice took over all Chinese interest sectors in The production and tidal irrigation system. Also, Gambia and provide support for The training nominated Gambian personnel’s in Gambia. They provide assistance in all a study tour or seminars on agricultural fields that China was doing for the Gambia technology. expect? in sport. Taiwan offers grants and China plays a vital role in helping loans to the government of the Gambia, many African countries during this period while The Gambia help in promoting the of post-independence and also helping international recognition and sovereign African nations that were struggling for nation of Taiwan (Sillah & Jammeh, 2007) independence. The role that China plays in After 18 years of diplomatic ties with helping many African countries brings Taiwan. In 2013, the government of the China into diplomatic relations with many Gambia announced that they will cut all ties African countries after their independence. with Taiwan with immediate effect saying Until 1971 when the Gambia broke up with that “this decision has been taken in our Taiwan and start bilateral relations with strategic national interest” (Saine & Gold, China. This was also motivated by the Gambia to cut ties with Taiwan, China says involvement of China in many African unaware, 2013). The Gambia remains countries that had a strong relationship with neutral between China and Taiwan, until THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 89

2016 The Gambia resume ties with China abide by the principles of equality, mutual instead of Taiwan. benefit, and mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty.” (A. As stipulated by Burchill (2005) “the White Paper: The One-China Principle and national interest came to be seen as an the Taiwan Issue: The Taiwan Affairs explanatory and evaluation tool” (Burchill, Office and the Information Office of the The National Interest in International State Council, 21 February 2000, 2000). Relations Theory, 2005). To finding out the national interest of China in the Gambia, the For 13 years from 1995 – 2013, The concept of national interest as an analytical Gambia that was recognized Taiwan as a tool will be used to analyze China’s interest sovereign state and established diplomatic base on three distinguished aspects: relations. During this period the Gambia has Political interest, economical interest, and been advocating and supporting Taiwan in security interest. the international community like the UN. Taiwan has used its diplomatic relations Political Interest with a few African countries to sure a seat China's political interest has been a in the UN again. In 2007, The Gambia with long-standing interest in which China build other four (4) African countries had a its diplomatic relations on. This has gone a gathering in Taipei, and they make a lot way back in history since 1949 and the declaration that “As a sovereign country, end of the Chinese civil war. This is when Taiwan should not be deprived of its right to both China and Taiwan claimed they are participate in the United Nations, the World representing the whole of China. After the Health Organization and other international formation of the one-china principle, the organizations,” (Taiwan: Summit Results in government of the People’s Republic of Support for UN Bid, 2007). China (mainland China) declared that “This The antagonistic international government is the sole legitimate recognition and establishing diplomatic ties government representing the entire people between China and Taiwan, on the base of of the People's Republic of China. It is ready who is the legitimate representative of the to establish diplomatic relations with all Chinese people either the People’s Republic foreign governments that are willing to of China or the Republic of China rely on

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their international recognition and support Taiwan and recognized Taiwan as part of from their allies. China. This is an important interest for China as they want the reunification of During reestablishing diplomatic ties China and Taiwan. This is very paramount and cooperation in 2016, The Gambia and to china as the Gambia has been flip- China had signed a joint communique and flopping its diplomatic ties between China The Gambia affirmed China that they will and Taiwan since its independence. China is respect and support the one-china principle doing everything possible to see that and declare that the People’s Republic of Countries like The Gambia not to switch China is only China in the world. As again by giving huge foreign aid and indicated in the joint communique: economic assistance. Since resuming “The Government of the Islamic diplomatic relations from 2016 to 2018, Republic of The Gambia recognizes that China has given much developmental aid to there is only one China in the world, and that the Gambia. the Government of the People's Republic of An example is the $50 million grant China is the sole legal government for the building of the international representing the whole of China and that conference hall signed on September 14th, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's 2017 (Jeffang, 2017), and also the Chinese territory. The Government of the Islamic $165 million HFO project signed on 21st Republic of The Gambia undertakes not to April 2017. This project was signed by establish any official relations or engage in between the National Water and Electricity any official contacts with Taiwan. The Company (NAWEC), The Gambia, and Government of the People's Republic of Chinese Sinohydro Corporation. This China appreciates this position of the project is aiming at providing an HFO Government of the Islamic Republic of The Power Plan that will improve, provide an Gambia.” (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adequate and stable power supply in the People's Republic of China, 2016) Great Banjul Area with a capacity of more More importantly, The Gambia also than 60MW. During the signing ceremony, affirmed that they will not establish any the minister of Energy and Petroleum of the diplomatic and official relations with Gambia stated that the project if THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 91

implemented successfully, will increase China policy and accepts Beijing rather than accessibly to electricity, stable, and Taipei as the only lawful representative of affordable power supply which would also China.” (Sun, 2014) lead to the establishment of more businesses In an interview with Mr. Jeng, he and industries. According to Mrs. Xiaomin, argued that “China needs The Gambia more the technical component of the project that than the Gambia needs it. It needs The was finalized includes the generation Gambia in order to counter Taiwan’s component of heavy-duty fuel oil power influence, especially now that Taiwanese plant, transmission and distribution lines, defiantly and decisively voted for Tsai- and high and medium voltage substations Ingwen” (Jeng, 2020) (Baldeh, 2017). However, China has won the Africa has about 54 countries which diplomatic antagonistic between them and accounted for more than one-quarter of the Taiwan in the African continent and is UN members. Therefore, China relies gradually pushing Taiwan out of Africa. heavily on the diplomatic cooperation and Almost all African countries are having support of African countries on issues in the diplomatic relations with China instead of multilateral and international forums. China Taiwan. As of 2018, the only African relies on Africa countries including the country that still maintains ties with Taiwan Gambia to vote and support its agendas then is The Kingdom of Swaziland (Kawashima, arouse in the UN and other international 2018). forums. (Sun, 2014) Therefore, this political interest of Most importantly, China wants to end China can be categorized as a secondary Taiwan's diplomatic ties with the Gambia. interest to serve to guard its position and its China didn’t want the Gambia to have international dominance over Taiwan. diplomatic ties with Taiwan again. The Gambia was the only a few African Economic Interest countries that have diplomatic relations with As argued by many scholars that Taiwan. Lamented by Sun (2014) that “For china’s engagement in Africa swift from Beijing, it is a matter of fundamental regime ideology to more economic oriented and legitimacy that Africa embraces the One China has become the largest trading partner

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for African countries including the Gambia. manufacturing industries enjoy the unique As stated by Lahtinen (2018), In the 1990s, advantage of producing textiles, electronics, the relationship between China and African and other products at a relatively low price, shifted from ideology to more economic which fits the market demand of the less- oriented. The trade between China and developed African countries. This was Africa accelerated from $10.5 billion in because after the financial crisis in 2008, the 2000 to $40 billion in 2005 and $166 billion demand for Chinese goods in the western in 2011. China became the largest trading markets has limited and China deemed the partner with the African continent African market as an alternative for the outstanding the USA and Europe (Lahtinen, export destinations for Chinese 2018). manufactured goods. This brings China to be the largest trading partner with Africa China and African countries have a surpass United States (Sun, 2014). long-term relation politically and economically since the struggle for One of the most important economic independence in Africa. After the Chinese interests of China in the Gambia is the Port ‘going out’ initiative. China becomes more of the Gambia. The port of the Gambia is economically oriented. Evidently, from located at a very strategic location in West 2000 to 2008 trade between Africa and Africa. The port was established in 1972 and China has grown by 1000 percent. China is it plays a significant role in the trade and heavily investing in Africa and supporting distribution of cargo to neighboring developmental projects which have countries, some of which are landlocked increased the economic relation between countries like Mali, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, China and Africa (Mlambo, Kushamba, & and Guinea Conakry. Giving the strategic Simawu, 2016). and geographical location of the Gambia and the port. The Gambia becomes The longstanding friendly proximity to as many as six countries in relationship between China and African West Africa. In the dissertation of Ismaila makes Africa the top priority to the ‘going Malang Bojang, He stated that The Gambia out’ initiative. China upon realizing the dubbed as the gateway to the outside world market potential in Africa as Africa is the second-largest continent. Chinese THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 93

and the supermarket of the sub-region Just after China and The Gambia (Bojang, 2000) resumed diplomatic and economic cooperation a Chinese state-owned The port of the Gambia, which is Communications construction company located in the Atlantic Ocean connects the (CCCC) made a bid of about $160 million sub-region countries to Europe, America, for the expansion and upgrade of the and other African countries. The port is Gambian ports (GlobalSecurity.org, 2017). well-known in West Africa as a re-export This shows how important is the port of the center to the sub-region countries, such as Gambia to China and its belt and road Senegal, Mali, Guinea Bissau, and Guinea initiative. The port is at the mouth of River Conakry. Therefore, China having Gambia is that the main and most navigated economic cooperation with the Gambia is river in west Africa. The port is considered very important to China because it will give strategic potential because of its easy access access to the Port of the Gambia. And also, to the Atlantic shipping lanes this is crucial most importantly, the port of the Gambia is for china’s economic growth and its belt and in line with the belt and road initiative of road initiative. China. According to Sidi, a former Minister The Chinese belt and road initiative of Foreign Affairs of the Gambia and he is proposed in 2013 to boost Chinese trade an economist, argued that the port of the across the world through railways and ports. Gambia which is very important to Chinese The belt and road initiative consists of a belt and road initiative is one of the most land-based Silk Road Economic Belt important interests of China and further running from China’s western parts towards argued that The Gambia is taking loans from Europe and the Middle East, and the 21st China and should The Gambia defaulted of Maritime Silk Road that links China’s Chinese loan Sidi argued that the Gambia coastal parts to the South Pacific and Port can be forfeiture to China (Sanneh, Australia and Europe and Africa through the 2020). South China Sea and the Indian Ocean and the Arctic (Suokas, 2018). Since the Gambia and China resume relations and have economic cooperation, according to the annual trading statistics

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2017 of the Gambia. China continued to be The Chinese government used the main source of imports from Asia, concessional loans, aid, and grants to representing 36.4 percent of total imports promote investment in African including from the region (Ministry of Trade, The Gambia. Since 2016, The Gambia Industry, Regional Integration & enjoys loans, grants, and developmental Employment, 2017). projects from the Chinese government. In turn, this has a form of creating business Among other economic interests of opportunities for Chinese construction China to the Gambia is it brought companies and contractors. Sun (2014) investment opportunities for Chinese stated that Africa is the second-largest investors. The Gambia has many economic service provider for Chinese service potentials in several sectors such as contractors (Sun, 2014) and most of the infrastructure, tourism, agribusiness, Chinese grants and developmental projects education, and tourism. Tourism is one of are facilitated by a Chinese company. the essential sectors that contributes to 18% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Almost all Chinese funded projects in Gambia (Klomegah, 2018). After resuming the Gambia are implemented or ties Chinese investor in agriculture and implementing by Chinese state-own fishery industry has escalated. Four (4) companies. A typical example is the $50 Chinese Fishmeal factory established in the million Chinese grant for the construction of Gambia that engages in catching and the international conference center was the processing fish in the Gambian river to first assistance the Gambia received from export it to China. Golden Lead is one of China after resuming ties. The project is four Chinese-owned fishmeal plants contracted to China Jiangsu Provincial currently operating out of the Gambia. Two Construction Company Ltd. and the project others – the JXYG factory in Kartong and management team will comprise China the Nassim fishmeal company in Sanyang – South-West Architectural Institute have both re-opened in 2018 after temporary Corporation and the Ministry of Transport, closures following complaints about their Works, and Infrastructure (Jeffang, 2017). waste disposal methods (Summers, 2019). The economic interest of China in the Gambia can be identified as primary interest THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 95

or vital interest because this is essential to Gambia had enjoyed huge foreign aid from China for its development and economic China, such as building national places and well-being. support its agricultural and health sectors. Until the change of government in 1994,

when the AFPRC took over by military Conclusion overthrow. In 1995, this regime switches The Gambia, one of the smallest and again to Taiwan and broke up with China. the poorest countries on the African The Gambia resumed diplomatic continent. After gaining its independence relations with China in 2016, after it broke from Britain, the government of the first up its Thirteen (13) years of diplomatic ties republic of the Gambia gets into diplomatic with Taiwan in 2013. This was the relations with Taiwan because of their uncertainty of the Gambia flip-flopping common similarities. Both countries between China and Taiwan. Resuming adopted democracy and open market diplomatic ties with China from 2016 – systems, both are surrounded by its 2018 attracted the attention of Chinese neighboring country and both depend on investors and contractors in The Gambia. agriculture as the main source of economic Therefore, to find out why China held growth. These are some of the factors that economic cooperation with the Gambia is compel The Gambia to prefer Taiwan over vital to look at China's national interest China. The Gambia supported Taiwan in using the concept of national interest. The voting against China in the UN Resolution research finds out two (2) aspects of 2758 in 1971. interests of China in its diplomatic and Four (4) years later after voting economic relations with The Gambia, these against China, The Gambia broke its are the political, and economic aspects. diplomatic relations with Taiwan and build From the political aspect, china’s relations with China. This was because of interests in the Gambia is clearly stated in the support China was doing for other the joint communique signed between African countries. The Gambia was also China and The Gambia when they resumed influenced by other African countries that diplomatic relations in 2016 during the visit had ties with China. During this period the

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of the foreign minister of The Gambia to opportunities for Chinese companies and China. It is stated that the Gambia will nationals to explore the natural resources of support the one-china principle that is to say the Gambia for the economic growth of that the Gambia agreed and accepted that China. Another important economic interest there is only one China that represents the of China in The Gambia is the Gambia Port whole of Chinese people and Taiwan is a which very paramount to China’s belt and territory under China. China wants to push road initiative. The port will open a gateway out Taiwan from Africa therefore it is for Chinese products to smoothly get into important for China to have ties with the West Africa through the Atlantic Ocean. Gambia so that The Gambia would not go This will connect China to other west back to Taiwan. Another important political African countries. interest of china is the support in the The relationship is built based on international. China relies heavily on its mutual benefits and respect for the African allies for support of its agenda and sovereignty of each country. The huge issues in the multilateral organizations like investments, foreign aid, and loans of China in the UN. The Gambia though small but it’s to the Gambia have risen alarm of China's a member of the UN, so therefore, China involvement in The Gambia. As lamented relies on its votes to support in the by Sidi Sanneh in the interview that China international arena and multilateral is notoriously irresponsible when it comes organizations specially to encounter to its treatment of the environment and it is Taiwan. manifesting itself in its investment program From economic aspects, though the in The Gambia, particularly in the fisheries population of the Gambia is just two (2), sectors. The country’s fish stocks are million people. That’s means that the depleting at an unsustainable rate that is market of the Gambia is very small impacting negatively on the local compared to other Africa countries. China population. Fish which is an important part has become the largest trading partner of the of the local diet is now in short supply and Gambia according to the 2017 trade has thus become expensive and beyond the statistics of the Gambia. Resuming ties with reach of ordinary Gambians. Chinese fish- the Gambia brings investment and business meal factories are located in tourist/coastal THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF CHINA IN THEIR ECONOMIC 97

areas and have become a major source of expertise to help The Gambia meet her pollution, threatening the tourism sector that infrastructural demand. The Gambia, on the contributes 25% of the country’s GDP other hand, can help China as the latter (Sanneh, 2020). embark on consolidating herself in the global political and economic system. Therefore, China held a diplomatic relation, or economic cooperation with the Gambia is important for China because References China has the technology and the technical

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