China's National Congress and Africa

The Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Business Federation's Centre for African Studies published on 6 September 2017 an article titled "How Will China's 19th National Congress Affect Africa?" by Richard Li, partner of Singapore-based Steel Advisory Partners.

The 19th quinquennial National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will convene on 18 October 2017 to select new members of the Central Committee of the CPC and the Politburo. The author predicts the National Congress will result in a continuity of China-Africa relations.

Africa and China's Maritime Silk Road

China's concept of the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) is attracting increasing attention, some apprehension, and more than a little confusion, especially as it concerns Africa.  I ran across three recent analyses that shed useful light on the project.

The first is a working paper published by the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) at the National University of Singapore in October 2014 titled "New Maritime Silk Road: Converging Interests and Regional Responses" by Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy, a research associate at ISAS.  The author concludes that the MSR is an effort in initiating a grand strategy with global implications.  While the MSR could be helpful in reinforcing cooperation and raising it to a new level of maritime partnership, China has yet to cultivate political and strategic trust.

Beijing Review published in February 2015 a series of views titled "Visions of the Maritime Silk Road" by Mohamed Noman Galal, former Egyptian ambassador to China, Srikanth Kondapalli, Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and Zamroni Salim, Indonesian Institute of Sciences.  Galal welcomes the MSR.  Kondapalli suggests the MSR is a reaction to the effort by the United States to rebalance its relations in the region.  Salim wonders how the ASEAN countries will benefit from the MSR.   

The blog East by Southeast published in November 2014 a piece titled "China's Maritime Silk Road Is All  about Africa" by Brian Eyler, director of the IES Abroad Kunming Center at Yunnan University.  It points out that the goal of the MSR is to connect 12 Strategic Maritime Distribution Centers from China to South America.  Seven of the 12 proposed centers are in Africa.

Premier Li Keqiang Visit to Africa and Chinese Aid to Africa

NewsChina published on 1 July 2014 an article on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's May visit to Ethiopia, Nigeria, Angola, and Kenya titled "Forward March" by Yu Xiaodong.  The trip was designed to inject new vitality into the China-Africa relationship.

The same edition also ran an article titled "A Smarter Helping Hand: Mixed Attitudes towards China's Aid in Africa Highlight the Necessity of a New Aid Strategy" by Li Jia.  The article urges more transparency in the aid relationship. 

Visit to Africa by China's Premier

The East Asia Forum published on 11 June 2014 a brief analysis of the May 2014 visit to Africa by Premier Li Keqiang titled "Premier Li Calls for 'Innovative and Pragmatic Cooperation' in Africa" by Lauren Johnston, founder and CEO of Sinograduate.  She argues that Premier Li added innovative pragmatic cooperation as a crucial element to deepening China's relationship with Africa.

US Promotes Security while China Does Business in Africa

Reuters published an oped on 30 May 2014 titled "In Africa: U.S. Promotes Security, China Does Business" by Larry Hanauer and Lyle Morris at the RAND Corporation.  Hanauer and Morris recently published an extensive analysis of China-Africa relations.  They point out that the United States is focused on counterterrorism, anti-piracy, and resolving conflicts in Africa while China emphasizes trade and investment.

Chinese Premier's Visit to Africa

China Daily published on 9 May 2014 an article titled "United We Stand" on Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Africa.  It contains one of the comments that I made to China Daily.  I also include the text of all of my comments to China Daily.

China Radio International on China-Africa Relations

China Radio International (CRI) invited me to join two other panelists on 9 May 2014 for an hour long, wide ranging discussion of  China-Africa relations linked to the visit to Africa by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.  The other panelists were Victor Gao, former English-language interpreter for Chinese leaders and now a current affairs commentator, and Norbert Haguma, a Rwandan who is the CEO of Beijing-based Kiziga, which arranges for Africans to study in China. 

China: Stepping It Up in Africa

The Washington-based Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) published on 7 May 2014 a brief analysis of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to four countries in Africa titled "China: Stepping It Up in Africa" by Ashley Neese Bybee, research staff member at the IDA.