China-US Military Cooperation in Djibouti?

Michael Walsh, research fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, posted on 17 November 2017 on the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative "A Field Note On How U.S. Military Officials View The People's Liberation Army Security Base in Djibouti."

Based on interviews in Djibouti, the author concluded that U.S. military officials are genuinely committed to finding ways to promote increased cooperation with their Chinese counterparts; however, they are frustrated by the way Chinese military officials approach their interactions with their U.S. counterparts.

China and US Cooperation in Africa

Foreign Affairs published on 3 March 2017 a commentary titled "Where Beijing, Washington, and African Governments Can Work Together from Competition to Cooperation" by Mohamed Ibn Chambas, special representative of the UN Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, Princeton N. Lyman, special advisor to the president of USIP, Jianhua Zhong, former Chinese special representative for Africa, and John Goodman, Carter Center.

The commentary focuses on security issues in Africa where the United States and China can cooperate most effectively to the benefit of Africa. You can access the entire article by registering.

China, Africa, and the US: Cooperation Rather than Competition

Foreign Affairs published on 3 March 2017 an article titled "Where Beijing, Washington, and African Governments Can Work Together: From Competition to Cooperation" by Mohamed ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Princeton N. Lyman, U.S. Institute of Peace, Jianhua Zhong, former Chinese Special Representative on African Affairs, and John Goodman, The Carter Center.

Given the overlapping interests of Africans, Americans, and Chinese, the authors conclude there is much to do together, especially when it comes to peace and security issues. Collaboration can offer real benefits to all three.

You must register with Foreign Affairs to access the entire article.

China's Foreign Direct Investment in Africa

Africa Review published in 2016 an article titled "China's Foreign Direct Investment in Africa's Land: Hallmarks of Neo-colonialism or South-South Cooperation?" by Abutu Lawrence Okolo, Xiamen University, and Joseph O. Akwu, University of Nigeria-Nsukka.

The study examines to what extent Chinese involvement in Africa is any different from the hallmarks of neo-colonialism.

France-China Cooperation in Africa

Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Hong Kong Baptist University, presented a paper titled "France-China Cooperation in Africa: The Emergence and the Limits of a New Initiative" at a conference in Lagos on 6-7 March 2016 hosted by the Lagos Business School and Yale University.

Since 2013, France and China have shown a willingness to cooperate in Africa on economic, political, and security issues. Both governments have decided to rely on their respective business communities to facilitate cooperation. Cabestan adds there are distinct limits and obstacles to this cooperation.

US and China Approach to Africa

The China Quarterly of International Strategic Studies published in the spring of 2016 an article titled "Extended Ground for U.S.-China Competition? Comparing China's and the U.S.' Engagement in Africa" by David Shinn. It compares the interests, policy, tactics, and institutions of the two countries in Africa, suggests where each country has done especially well, and concludes with areas where China and the US compete and cooperate in Africa. Only an abstract of the article is available online.

China-Africa Relations

The China Monitor at Stellenbosch University has just published a special edition titled FOCAC VI: African Initiatives toward a Sustainable Chinese Relationship.

It contains the following contributions:

FOCAC: The Evolving China-Africa Security Relationship by David Shinn
Shaping China-Africa Co-operation on Post-2015 Agenda by Zhang Chun
FOCAC VI: The Chinese Dream Meets African Realities? by Ian Taylor
Placing FOCAC in Its South-South Co-operation Narrative by Sven Grimm
FOCAC VI: African Initiatives toward a Sustainable Chinese Relationship by Liu Haifang
Policy Meets Practice: Chinese Environmental Protection in Africa in the Wake of FOCAC VI by May Tan-Mullins
Regimes of Truth, Localisation of Chinese Enterprises, and African Agency by Barry Sautman and Yan Hairong

The Limits of U.S.-China Cooperation in Africa

Brookings published on 6 April 2015 an analysis titled "The Limits of U.S.-China Cooperation in Africa" by Yun Sun, Africa Growth Initiative in Washington.

I have long advocated that the United States and China should work to identify projects in Africa where they can cooperate to the mutual benefit of the Africans.  I still believe that.  Yun Sun rightly points out, however, that the reality of successful cooperation between Washington and Beijing has been disappointing so far.  The United States and China do not yet see each other as genuine cooperation partners and differences in approach to Africa, especially on human rights and democratization, have limited the degree of cooperation so far.

China-US-Africa Discussion

The Richard Eeds Show on KVSF in Santa Fe, New Mexico, interviewed me for 45 minutes on 11 March 2015 on the subject of engagement in Africa by China and the United States.

The US and China in Africa: Competition or Cooperation?

Brookings Institution Africa in Focus published on 28 April 2014 an analysis titled "The US and China in Africa: Competition or Cooperation?" by Yun Sun and Jane Olin-Ammentorp, both of whom are at Brookings'  Africa Growth Initiative.

US, Africa and China Dialogue

The Washington-based think Tank, Brookings, held a conference on 13 May 2013 on the relationship among the US, China and Africa.  It just released the four conference papers under the title "A Trilateral Dialogue on the United States, Africa and China."  The four papers are:
--New Actors in International Development: The Case of China in Africa
--China and African Countries: Areas for Trilateral Cooperation
--The Role of China and the U.S. in Managing Ghana's Nonrenewable Natural Resources for Inclusive Development
--Perspectives on China-Africa Oil Ties

The China Africa Project focused on the Brookings paper in a 23 minute podcast titled "Can the US and China Work Together in Africa?"  with veteran journalists Eric Olander in Paris and Cobus van Staden in Cape Town.

More on China, Africa and the US

China-US Focus also asked Ian Taylor, a professor of international relations at the University of St. Andrews' School of International Relations, to comment on Sino-African Relations and the United States. Taylor is one of the most respected and prolific writers on this topic.

He concluded that Washington does not seem overly concerned by China's rise in Africa; the United States' economic and political ties with Africa are robust and not threatened by Chinese interests. Rather than competing with the West, China must converge with American policy aims in Africa even if this is so far unacknowledged by Beijing.

Click here to read his commentary.

For my analysis of the same subject, see the posting below for 13 July.

China, Africa and the US

China and US Focus asked me to write a short piece titled "China, Africa and Implications for the United States." While I identify areas of competition between the US and China in Africa, I try to emphasize those areas where greater cooperation is called for, especially in improving health and developing agriculture.

Click here to read the commentary.