tlas on Regional Integration A in West Africa economy series AFRICA AND CHINA Introduction C h i n a ’ s GDP has increased ten-fold over the last three decades. After surpassing Canada, Italy, France and Great Britain, it should soon catch up to Germany. Its influence on the reconfiguration of international dynamics is remarkable and it intends to play a key role. Even though it is not the key issue, Africa is a part of this strategy. As the third-ranking trading partner, strategic investor, development partner and future financial source, China is shaking up the balance of power established on the continent since independence. The impact is so great that traditional partners – Europe and the United States in particular – are forced to review their relations with Africa. This chapter of the Atlas on Regional Integration in West Africa examines the issues involved in these new dynamics. Contrary to other chapters, The Atlas on Regional Integration is an ECOWAS — SWAC/OECD it focuses on the entire continent, even though West Africa is studied whenever possible. initiative, financed by the The Chinese strategy is first and foremost African. It is probable that within a few years, develop­ment co-­op­eration agen-­ cies of France, Switzerland West African particularisms and the much greater presence of China in this region, will and Luxembourg. Divided into justify a more specifically West African focus. four series (p­op­ulation, land, economy, environment), the Atlas chap­ters are being ­produced during 2006-­2007 and will be I. The Poor Brothers available on-­line on the site www.atlas-­westafrica.org Geop­olitical Issues In the early 1950s, the People’s Republic of China supported the developing decoloni- 1. Organised in April 1955 in Java (Indonesia), the Bandoeng sation process and even aspired to form a “united front” with the African, Asian and Conference launched the «non-aligned» movement. South American peoples against imperialism. The Bandoeng conference1 provided the Sub-Saharan Africa, still under the colonial control, was not 2 strongly present (besides Côte opportunity to forge links with the African continent or at least with independent States . de l’Or – ex-Ghana – Liberia and Ethiopia). The first official bilateral contacts were made shortly afterwards, firstly with Egypt in 1956, 2. Aicardi de Saint Paul, Marc (2004) La Chine et l’Afrique then with four other newly independent countries: Algeria, Morocco, Sudan and Guinea. entre engagement et intérêt. Although China and the Soviet Union had cooperated to “lead Africa to revolution,” their goals now diverged. The USSR launched into “peaceful coexistence”, putting peace and CSAO SWAC ECOWAS-SWAC/OECD©2006 -December 2006 tlas on Regional Integration A in West Africa disarmament at the top of its strategic foreign affairs agenda. China’s 3. At the opening of the 8th Chinese Communist Party policy was to provide military and financial support to nationalist (CCP) convention in 1956, 3 Mao declared: “We must give movements (see Map 1). At the end of the 1960s, of the 41 independent active support to the national independence and liberation African countries, 19 maintained official relations with Beijing as opposed movements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as to the to just 5 ten years prior. However, China’s ambitions in Africa were peace movement and righteous struggle in all countries limited by its systematic opposition to the USSR and western interests; throughout the world” (W.A.C. Adie (1964): Chinese Policy it distanced itself from countries close to the Soviets or Americans: towards Africa). 4. This rivalry dates back to the Tunisia, Kenya, the Central African Republic, Dahomey (Benin). Chinese Civil War (1946) when nationalists were forced off the mainland to the island Africa is also where the rivalry between the People’s Republic of China of Formosa. Since then the reunification of Taiwan with 4 and Taiwan was played out. In 1971, China obtained one of the five mainland China has been a key issue for Beijing. permanent seats on the UN Security Council to the detriment of Taiwan 5. Zhang, Hongming (2000) La politique africaine de la Chine. partly due to the support of African countries. Of the 76 votes obtained at the 1971 UN General Assembly, 26 were from African countries. Mao Zedong said: “We entered the UN owing to the support of the poor brothers of Asia and Africa 5 who supported us ”. Map­ 1. Chinese Sup­p­ort for African This victory gave new Insurrections 1949 to 1987 impetus to its African policy and during the 1970s new States were ALGERIA recipients of Chinese FLN aid: Benin, Mauritius, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, Togo, Tunisia, Zaire, Senegal, Upper NIGER Volta and Cameroon. Sawaba Party PORTUGUESE ELF By the early 1980s, GUINEA 44 African States had FLCS PAIGC GHANA NIGERIA established diplomatic ETHIOPIA relations with Beijing. Biafra CAMEROON Chinese activism in the CNL UGANDA region slowed down FRONASA KENYA during the 1980s due RWANDA CONGO to the improvement Jeunesse BRAZZAVILLE CONGO in East-West relations. LEOPOLDVILLE TANZANIA FNLA Subsequently, several countries (Liberia, ANGOLA MPLA Lesotho, Guinea Bissau, FRELIMO COREMO Central African Republic, UNITA ZANU Niger, Burkina Faso, the Arms ZAPU MOZAMBIQUE NAMIBIA Gambia, Senegal, Sao Money SWAPO RHODESIA Tome and Principe, Food Medical supplies ANC Chad) re-established School books and scholarships close ties with Taipei Uniforms Guerrilla trainings SOUTH BCP in the early 1990s. PAC LESOTHO Chinese assisted guerrilla trainings camps AFRICA However, some of them Major area of insurrection 0 300 mi also re-established ties Source: Snow Philip (1988) © Sahel and West Africa Club / OECD 2006 with Beijing soon after: economy series Lesotho in 1994, Niger in 1996, Central African Republic and Guinea Bissau in 1998. In the same year, Taipei also lost its main supporter, South Africa, which had sought to convince the People’s Republic of China of dual recognition6. Following the recent turnaround of Senegal (2005) and Chad (2006), only five States still recognise the island of Formosa (Taiwan): Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Malawi, Swaziland and Sao Tome and Principe. Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation is currently undeniable. In contrast, the development of political relations between 6. Lafargue, François (2005) La Chine et l’Afrique: un mariage the People’s Republic of China and the African continent is increasing de raison. significantly (see Map 2). Map­ 2. Main Chinese Dip­lomatic Visits to Africa in 1963/64 and in 2006 TUNISIA MOROCCO MOROCCO ALGERIA UNITED ARAB LIBYA REPUBLIC EGYPT (EGYPT) MALI MALI SUDAN SENEGAL GUINEA SOMALIA NIGERIA GHANA ETHIOPIA GHANA LIBERIA UGANDA RD KENYA CONGO TANZANIA CAPE VERDE CAPE VERDE ATLANTIC ATLANTIC ANGOLA OCEAN OCEAN Visited by President Hu Jintao Visited by Prime Minister SOUTH INDIAN INDIAN Wen Jiabao AFRICA OCEAN OCEAN Visited by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing © Sahel and West Africa Club / OECD 2006 © Sahel and West Africa Club / OECD 2006 Visits by Prime Minister Chou En Lai to Africa (1963-64) Official Chinese Visits to Africa (2006) Aid Between the 1960s and the early 1980s, the People’s Republic of China 7. These projects included the was already providing development aid (approximately $100 million construction of the Tam-Zam railway, the most emblematic per annum). During that time, 150,000 Chinese technical assistants involvement of China in Africa during that period. In the middle of the cultural were sent to Africa to implement projects in the areas of agriculture, revolution, in 1967, the 7 Chinese Minister in charge of transport infrastructure development (roads and railways ), construction aid and cooperation signed a formal commitment to of official buildings (football stadiums), industrial development (almost build and finance the line linking Zambia to the Indian half of Mali’s industrialisation process during the 1960s was supported Ocean coast in Tanzania. In 1970, Zambia and Tanzania by China). This aid was modest however compared to the sums provided received an interest-free loan of $400 million and Chinese by other bilateral partners: between 1971 and 1981, Great Britain, engineers started to lay the first milestones of the the United States and France spent $250 million, $800 million and railway. For five years, almost 25,000 technicians were $1,300 million respectively each year8. involved in building almost 300 bridges, 10 km of tunnels, 96 railway stations, etc. The first Sino-African forum (consultative process launched in Beijing 8. Snow, Philip (1988) The star raft: China’s encounter with in 2000) launched a new era. In the span of six years, several hundred Africa. tlas on Regional Integration A in West Africa cooperation agreements for economic assistance (technical cooperation, project aid and budgetary aid) to African countries are approved. Since 2000, several protocol agreements were signed to cancel all or partial debt totalling $10 billion9. The cooperation framework has been strengthened, as demonstrated by the success of the third Sino-African summit in November 2006, with 48 African countries present. China 9. As a comparison, the initiative is now ahead of other emerging Asian countries (India, Singapore, favouring the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Thailand, etc.) and rivals OECD Member countries by announcing in 2005 (HIPC) Initiative has approved up to now the cancellation $10 billion in concessional loans to Africa for the 2006-2008 period. Are of debt of 29 countries of which 25 are African with the recent commitments by the G-8 to Africa related to China’s growing a total amount of 35 billion US dollars. Moreover, in June interest in Africa? This situation sets the stage for a new balance of 2005 the G8 proposed that three multilateral institutions power within which Africa will be better able to negotiate with external – the IMF, the International Development Association development partners.