Beijing's Peacemaking Efforts in South Sudan

The Institute for Security Studies published on 6 November 2014 an analysis titled "Beijing's Peacemaking Efforts in South Sudan" by Peter Fabricius with Independent Newspapers in South Africa.  Fabricius looks at China's efforts to mediate a solution to the conflict in South Sudan, calling the approach "non-interference with Chinese characteristics." 

China's Expanding Role in the South Sudanese Civil War

China Brief published on 10 October 2014 an analysis titled "Testing the Limits: China's Expanding Role in the South Sudanese Civil War" by Zhou Hang, a Beijing-based researcher with the China and Global Security Project at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The author concludes that the need for the Chinese government to protect its significant investments and nationals encourages Beijing to adopt  a more engaged policy in South Sudan. 

China's Priorities in Africa

Chatham House in London just released a summary of a 13 June 2014 discussion with Zhong Jianhua, China's special representative for African Affairs, titled "China's Priorities in Africa: Enhancing Engagements."

Ambassador Zhong explains that he spends much of his time on South Sudan but also is engaged with Somalia, DRC, CAR, and Mali.  He frankly acknowledges that Chinese companies operating in Africa are sometimes uninformed about the political situation while others try to hide problems from the local Chinese embassy.  

South Sudan Is "New Chapter" in Chinese Conflict Resoution Policy

Reuters interviewed Zhong Jianhua, China's special representative for African Affairs, in Beijing on 10 February 2014.  Michael Martina then wrote an intriguing article titled "South Sudan Marks New Foreign Policy Chapter for China: Official" the following day.  The article suggests that China may be changing its policy on conflicts in Africa.

Zhong told Reuters that "China should be engaging more in peace and security solutions for any conflict" in South Sudan.  He added that this "is a challenge for China.  This is something new for us . . . It is a new chapter for Chinese foreign affairs."  The article suggested there are signs that China is ready to put more pressure on Juba to avoid a return to fighting if a deal is reached among conflicting parties.  Zhong said China would proceed cautiously and offered few details how China would expand its role.  He emphasized that the situation calls for an African solution by African parties. He also refused to take a position on the involvement of Ugandan forces in South Sudan.

It is too early to tell whether Ambassador Zhong's comments foretell a real change in China's policy on efforts to resolve conflict in African countries where China has significant interests at stake.  At a minimum, however, China's actions in South Sudan merit close attention as they may signal a break with the past. 

China's Special Representative on African Affairs Answers Critics

In an interview on 6 August 2013 with Edward Paice, director of the Africa Research Institute, Ambassador Zhong Jianhua, China's special representative on African affairs, responds frankly to common criticisms of China's policy and conduct in Africa.  In particular, he answers the criticism by Lamido Sanusi, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, that China is exploiting Africa in much the same way as the former colonial powers. 

Ambassador Zhong makes especially interesting comments on the inadequacy of Chinese official data, noting that President Xi Jinping used during his March 2013 visit to Durban a figure of $50 billion of Chinese investment in Africa, much higher than the previous official figure of about $15 billion.  He quickly adds that $50 billion is just an estimate.  I am convinced that China does not know the total amount of its FDI in Africa. 

Edward Paice and his colleague at the Africa Research Institute, Jonathan Bhalla, published something of a rejoinder on 16 August 2013 titled "China's New Competitor: Africa." They concluded that engagement between China and Africa over the next decade will be much more complex, even messier, than in the past. This will be confusing for the dragon-slayers and panda-huggers. "China: friend or foe" will be an inadequate frame of reference.

China's New Leaders and Africa

The Brookings Institution published a brief analysis in January 2013 titled "China's New Leadership and Sino-Africa Relations."  The authors are all associated with the Africa Growth Initiative: Yun Sun, visiting fellow; Julius Agbor, Africa research fellow; and Jessica Smith, research assistant.

The analysis concludes it is highly unlikely that China's new leadership will pursue any major policy change toward Africa.

China and Canada in Africa

The China Institute of the University of Alberta, in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre and Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade convened a conference in Ottawa on 20-21 September 2012 to explore Chinese and Canadian experiences, policy options, and outlooks for constructive engagement in Africa's growth and development.

Click here to access links to the conference program and summary report of the conference.