Rationale for China's Trade Deal with Mauritius

 The World Economic Forum posted on 15 February 2021 an analysis titled "Here's Why China's Trade Deal with Mauritius Matters" by Lauren Johnston, SOAS China Institute, and Marc Lanteigne, The Arctic University of Norway. 

The China-Mauritius free trade agreement is a first between China and an African state.  China's small-state-first trade diplomacy appears to reflect a preference for a "side door" and small-scale experimental approach to what is ultimately intended as a regional trade policy. This way, China gains experience in understanding the regional "rules of the road" and incrementally builds up a brand as an effective trade partner in the region.  

US-China Tensions: An Opportunity for Africa?

The Conversation posted on 15 June 2020 a commentary titled "African Countries Need to Seize Opportunities Created by US-China Tensions" by Mzukisi Qobo and Mjumo Mzyece, both at Witwatersrand University.

The authors argue that African countries need to be more pragmatic and proactive during this era of China-US tension in three arenas: technological frontiers, global supply chains, and trade integration and economic cooperation.

African Population Growth, Jobs, Industrialization, Agriculture, and China

World Politics Review published on 6 November 2019 a commentary titled "Why Africa's Future Will Determine the Rest of the World's" by Howard W. French.

The author focuses on Africa's rapid population growth and the urgent need for additional employment. He argues, correctly in my view, that in most African countries the future lies with improved agriculture rather than industrialization. He also cites the myth that China is in the process of industrializing Africa. In fact, China is mostly an obstacle to African industrialization because it industrialized decades ago and now dominates with overwhelming advantages of scale most of the industrial sectors that countries in Africa seek to enter.

Russia Playing Catchup in Africa

Modern Diplomacy published on 23 September 2019 an interview titled "African Great Game: Russia Playing the Catchup" with George Nyongesa, senior associate at the Africa Policy Institute in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nyongesa underscores Russia's limited engagement in Africa since the end of the Cold War, especially as compared to China, the United States, France, European Union, India, and Japan.

China Set To Cash In on African Free Trade Agreement

China Briefing posted on 27 May 2019 a commentary titled "China Set to Cash in on New African Free Trade Agreement" by Chris Devonshire-Ellis.

China has been pushing low-end manufacturing out of China and into lower-cost southeast Asian markets such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. As these markets become higher cost and/or saturated, the author argues that this manufacturing capacity will increasingly move to Africa. Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement will contribute positively to this process.