China's Long Relationship with Africa
The Win-win Relationship between Africa and China
Aug 11, 2008
Beginning in the 1960's and growing in the 80's, when the West began to pull out of Africa, China became a solid investor throughout the continent. Now with 47 diplomatic relations and 40 trade agreements on the continent, both sides benefit enough to move towards economic stability.
Facing a lot criticism, China has been accused of protecting Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Sudan's Haman al Bashir from economic sanctions and being indicted.
President Robert Mugabe in the news recently for winning Zimbabwe's run-off elections and accusations of human rights violations, has met opposition from the U.S. and the U.K., but has had China's support from the Zimbabwe's independence and the establishment of his ZANU-PF.
On July 11th, China demonstrated its position on Mugabe and Zimbabwe, when they vetoed the economic sanction by the UN Security Council.
In a statement about the vote China's ambassador to the U.N., Guangya Wang said a threat of sanctions was not conducive to solving Zimbabwe's problems.
"The situation in Zimbabwe had not exceeded the context of domestic affairs and did not constitute a threat to international peace and security. It was also important to take into account that the situation was highly complex and negotiations had already started. Had the Council adopted the sanctions, it would have interfered with the negotiations and led to deterioration of the situation," Wang continued.
China's international diplomatic policy since it opened its doors to the world says that China well not intervene or interfere with another country's domestic issues, like civil wars.
Sudan popularized by its controversial civil war, is a country rich with oil, a product desperately needed for China's growing economy.
Sudan's al Bashir was indicted last month by the International Criminal Court, but cannot be extradited to the Netherlands to face trial because Sudan, like the United States, is neither a signatory of nor recognizes the jurisdiction of Rome Statute.
China's economy is centered on industry, international trading and oil. Products like machinery, home appliances, data processing equipment, apparel, steel and cell phones are all made in China and all need oil to manufacture.
China partnered up with Malaysia to invest in Sudan in 2003, enabling the country to be crude exporter. China is Sudan's biggest customer.
According to a special report for the Council on Foreign Relations by Cheryl Igiri and Princeton Lyman, the China-Sudan relationship is a perfect example of "a complete package:" money, technical expertise, and protection in such bodies as the UN Security Council.
These relationships are big across the continent. In 2005 Zambia received $170 million from China to develop the country's mining sector. That same year China signed an $800 million crude oil sale agreement with Nigeria, setting in motion an annual purchase by China of 30,000 barrels a day for five years.
China has major infrastructure projects in 35 African States: offering aid to build railroads, schools, roads and hotels across the continent.
In days coming up to the 2008 Summer Olympics, an American athlete had his visa revoked by the Chinese government because of his activism against China's connection to Sudan's civil war.
Joey Cheek, a former Olympic speed skater and the founder of the group Team Darfur, received a call from the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. last week saying that his visa had been revoked.
Team Darfur is a group of athletes, including 72 current Olympians, who have called attention to China's link to the situation in Darfur.
Western nations are upset by China's reluctance to side with them on human rights issues, like in Sudan. China was an investor in Sudan's oil industry before the situation in Darfur, and has adopted a strictly business policy when it comes to Sudan.
In a 2004 interview with New York Times, China's Deputy Foreign Minister, Zhou Wenzhong said, "Business is business.... We try to separate politics from business."
