The Rising Dragon in Africa: Threat or Opportunity?

China is quietly spreading its sphere of influence throughout Africa. How can American influence be maintained?

By Adam Farrar, International Affairs Senior Staff Writer

With China’s strength growing by the day, the threat it poses to American interests and influence abroad is perceived to be increasing rapidly. Arenas that at one point lacked competition are now found to be highly contested with the US, the EU and China all competing for the same political influence and access. With China’s eyes set on expanding its sphere of influence and securing much needed natural resources, Africa has emerged as a primary battleground. Offering aid with no political demands, the Chinese have forged strong bonds with many influential African states, bonds that are increasingly perceived as a threat to US and African interests. With the Chinese locking up markets and resources throughout the continent, the West, in particular the United States, is faced with a situation that could drastically hurt their interests and consequently, leverage in the region.

The Chinese Blitzkrieg

While the United States has maintained strong humanitarian and diplomatic ties with much of Africa over the years, the Chinese have recently embarked on a diplomatic and economic “blitzkrieg” to gain influence and access to vast natural resources throughout the region. China’s actions have made it clear that it sees Africa, not as the fragile lawless continent of the 1990’s, but rather as one of the world’s largest untapped markets for natural resources and Chinese goods. The emphasis being placed on the region is evident simply by looking at the visits by Chinese officials to the region, including Chinese President Hu Jintao and Vice President Zeng Qinghong, who together, in 2004, visited over seven African countries, including Algeria, Gabon and Nigeria, Africa’s three largest oil producers.

Unlike the United States, China has showed a willingness to offer large amounts of aid, with no requirements for liberalization or political change, arguing that they confidently believe African countries can “properly handle their own affairs”. Following this policy, China has taken part in large scale infrastructure projects, including the construction of highways, mobile communication networks, and stadiums and the development of varying natural resources. As the tone of their African policy dictates, China is willing to offer both economic and military aid to any country willing to grant China access, including authoritarian states such as Sudan and Zimbabwe who have used this aid to consolidate power and continue their repressive policies.

Although many Chinese projects in the region have produced positive results, there is increasingly a heavy toll on the African people themselves. As put forward by Professor Callisto Madavo, formerly senior staff at the World Bank, China is currently “flooding Africa with exactly those thing that Africa already has” such as cheap labor and cheap goods. Chinese imported goods and services are priced to undercut their local competition, which is having a devastating effect on the African economy. Although destructive, these policies offer the West, and in particular the United States, a unique opportunity to combat this growing Chinese influence.

Fighting the Emerging Dragon

In order to combat Chinese influence on the continent the United States must seek to surpass the scope of its current policies in the region. Instead of attempting to fight fire with fire, by blindly supporting African governments with large economic and military packages as China does, the US must look for an alternate course that could lead towards long-term positive change. In fact, trying to pursue policies similar to China's could arguably only further hurt the perception of the US. Instead of taking this path, the United States is best served by seeking to significantly alter the focus of many of its policies. Instead of continuing to focus the majority of aid through governments, as is currently done, a policy that places more emphasis on the actual African people may better serve both African and US interests. This type of policy would be amplified when compared to Chinese policies in the region, that although responsible for initiating many civil projects, have done so in a manor that all but ignores the plight of the African people themselves. By doing so the Chinese have left the door open for the United States to work to regain influence among the African population.

The core of this new policy would need to revolve around a change in the primary mission of the US governmental aid community, including agencies such as USAID. Currently too much emphasis is placed on condition-based aid, seeking political and social change, while fewer and fewer resources are spent on policies based on developing long term change and stability from the bottom up. To bring about any such bottom-up policy the US will have to focus much of its efforts on infrastructural projects that would focus on the lives of the lowest common denominator. Unlike similar Chinese programs, which utilize Chinese workers and firms exclusively, these projects would be have the added benefit of using a combination of US and African firms, supplying much needed jobs and boosting local economies.

Along with an increase in basic infrastructural projects, the US will need to reaffirm its active commitment to “health diplomacy” throughout Africa. The Chinese have already demonstrated their willingness to use such a policy, treating over 180 million African patients since 1964. Looking at this example it would serve the US well to emulate the Chinese activities by increasing funding for health programs that work throughout Africa, thus increasing the ability of clinics to not only treat patients but also provide much needed preventative care. However, the most important aspect of this change in policy must be a reduction in a quid pro quo system dealing with health. In order to be effective this type of funding must remain un-politicized and cannot be linked to specific political or other social demands. If actively applied throughout the region “health diplomacy” in itself offers an opportunity to both better the lives of African populations and simultaneously better the common perception of the United States.

On a more public level, the US must work to increase its diplomatic presence throughout the region. Along with the policies addressed above a strong public diplomatic effort will be essential. Although China’s support of the region continues to grow, the US remains the largest donor to the region, donating over $4.3 billion in 2004, and should advertise this fact in order to combat the common perception that America simply does not care about the region. As can be seen by the effect of the visits by Hu Jintao to the region, any such plan would be drastically more influential if it included increased high level State visits to the region, including visits by the President, because it remains essential, “to continue to engage the government at the highest levels in order to create an environment” in which sustainable development is possible.         

With countless failed attempts to dictate terms of governance to foreign countries through aid, a change in policy may be worth a try. With the Chinese breathing down America’s neck, the US must adjust its policies to focus on the African people. By improving their lives to a point where daily survival is no longer their primary concern, the US would offer the best chance for viable African development, while simultaneously elevating US influence and foreign perception.

A special thanks to Professor Callisto Madavo of Georgetown University's African Studies program for his valuable contributions to this article.