China and Southern Africa

Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW) published a book in 2012 titled Win-Win Partnership? China, Southern Africa and the Extractive Industries. The project was sponsored by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa. SARW has a headquarters in Johannesburg and a field office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Editors of the book were Garth Shelton and Claude Kabemba.

The study investigated the China-Africa relationship in relation to the extraction of natural resources across ten countries in southern Africa and suggested policy options that would help to create a more positive relationship and support mutual economic development.

As China's economy grows, increased commercial interaction with Africa will offer the continent new prospects for trade and investment. The key to success for Africa lies in the continent adopting the appropriate responses to address existing impediments to growth. Africa needs to ensure a mutually beneficial outcome in its dealings with China, and build local capacity to meet the challenges posed by the relationship. China has a clear strategy for Africa, but Africa has no strategy for China.

The book covers the scale of Chinese investment in the region, the nature of China's relationship with Africa, the development impact of China's role in the region, the social responsibility of Chinese owned companies and internal constraints on ensuring a developmental impact from Chinese investment.

Click here to access the book.