Monday, December 11, 2017

China and the Replacement of Robert Mugabe

The Conversation published on 7 December 2017 a commentary titled "Why the Focus on China's Role in Mugabe's Fall Missed the Bigger Picture" by Cobus van Staden, South Africa Institute of International Affairs, and Chris Alden, London School of Economics and Political Science.

The authors argue that while China probably had advance word of Robert Mugabe's removal from power in Zimbabwe, China likely had no role in the actual change of regime. The visit to China by army chief Constantino Chiwenga less than two weeks before Mugabe was forced out of office only underscored China's new prominence on the global stage.