How Donald Trump could give China a real boost in Africa
The election of Donald Trump has introduced a new era of uncertainty in global politics, especially in Africa where the president-elect has said nothing about his foreign policy agenda for the continent. Not surprisingly, Trump’s unpredictable, provocative-style is sparking widespread concern across the continent as to whether the United States plans to remain engaged in Africa.
Whereas the new U.S. president is threatening to limit foreign trade, cancel aid programs and register Muslims, the Chinese are opening their markets wider for African produce, increasing financial assistance programs on the continent and sponsoring more African students than any other country in the world to study in their universities.
China, by comparison, is moving in the opposite direction. Beijing’s New Year’s announcement to finally outlaw its domestic ivory trade, although long overdue, was widely praised an important step in the struggle to save Africa’s embattled elephant population. Also in January, China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, will make his customary first overseas trip of the year that always begins in Africa where he will visit five countries. All of this is set amid the backdrop of surging Chinese investment in Africa as part of president Xi Jinping’s 2015 $60 billion/5 year financial package and the roll out of China’s ambitious global trading strategy known as “One Belt, One Road” which passes through a number of countries in Northeast Africa where the Chinese are now spending billions of dollars to build out new civilian and military infrastructure.
What Would You Do?
Imagine that you are president Edgar Lungu in Zambia or Nigeria’s president Muhammad Buhari or Tanzanian president John Magufuli what would you do? Your countries have been battered by the persistent slump in global commodity prices and while you may have turned to the U.S. for both aid and leadership in the past, this new president and his new cabinet do not seem like they’re very interested in your part of the world. While Chinese delegations from the foreign minister down stream through your country one after another, where are the Americans? While presidents and prime ministers from other parts of the world have been called to the gilded Trump Tower, none from Africa have been up invited up to that famous penthouse in Manhattan.
Although it’s entirely counterintuitive, Donald Trump really could be the best thing to have ever happened to the Chinese in Africa. The instability that he seems to be provoking is making the Chinese look so good in contrast. Whereas the new U.S. president is threatening to limit foreign trade, cancel aid programs and register Muslims, the Chinese are opening their markets wider for African produce, increasing financial assistance programs on the continent and sponsoring more African students than any other country in the world to study in their universities.
So if you were in Lungu’s, Buhari’s or Magufuli’s position, the choice on how to align your country’s interests, both economic and political, is probably becoming a lot more apparent.
Janet Eom, Research Manager at the China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University has been closely following the presidential campaign and the run-up to Donald Trump’s inauguration with an eye on how this will all impact Sino-African ties. Janet joins Eric & Cobus to discuss what’s ahead in U.S.-China-Africa relations.
Join the conversation. Do you think that the Trump presidency will benefit the Chinese in Africa or does it even matter? Trump has promised an “America First” agenda to his constituents and so what if U.S. influence falls in some parts of the world. We’d like hear from you.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject
Twitter: @eolander | @stadenesque
Lecturer in International Relations at Bindura University of Science Education
8yI think even if Trump had a pronounced/active Africa focus or policy, the Chinese would continue with their active engagement of Africa. The concept of peaceful rise seems, in the last years, to have taken centre stage rather than strategic competition. So whether Trump comes up with an active Africa policy or not, I think the Chinese stance and strategy in Africa is not going to change.
Transform Coach Specializing in Health & Wellness, Stress & Trauma, Addiction Recovery-Outpatient, and Goal Achievement. Dedicated to Truth and Empowerment. Life Ambassador
8yNo please. We have way enough cheap junk here. Can someone explain where all the junk that lasts a few weeks and then breaks, gets dumped? It only increases world pollution. Ban cheap Chinese products
Innovating with business & government.
8yRemon Moes, 曾令檀, 荣冠华, Tim Huntley 卫徳涛
staff at Al-Hikmah University,Ilorin
8yTrump is a very tactic man, too early to comment on his presidency, let's just wait till Jan 20 to unfold his action and tactics. God bless Nigeria, America and the entire world.Amen.
Chief Scientific Officer at National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency
8yI believe it's yet too early to predict the outcome of a Trump presidency. He is completely unpredictable and can flow in any direction. It is also worthy of note that Africa is reawakening her consciousness from the era of oil dependency and foreign aid to self actualization and internal advancement.