CHINA IN AFRICA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR USA

Since 1980s, Chinese leader have shown the necessity for economic development while at the same time highlighting the threat caused by emerging US supremacy. Chinese leaders who took over the national policy after Deng Xiaoping’s, however positioned their objectives opposite the American interest. Compelled by national feelings, desire to make up for the past humiliations and the push for global power, China is looking forward to substituting US as a leading power in Asia. During 1980s, China instituted diplomatic relations with most countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa. From 1990s, it expanded her diplomatic relations with countries like Israel, Republic of Korea and South Africa in addition to some of former Soviet satellites. By 2002, China had diplomatic ties with 165 countries.
The national security strategy for the US, 2006 declared that ‘ Africa holds growing geo strategic importance and is a high priority for the administration’- this must be true for a continent that supplies US with 16 % of petroleum and is a prospective oil supplier, about a quarter of it’s oil imports by 2015. Therefore the rising weight of another actor in the region could as well result under a watching eye of policymakers and other actors. The question is, is China’s bilateral relations with US the cause of criticism or is it about the Chinese foreign policy on the continent?
Never the less we must say that China does not pose any direct major threat to the US national interest, however it changes the strategic approximation in various ways. First, most Chinese firms have a competitive edge over the western counterparts because most of the companies are at least partially state owned. Their managers make decisions based on a less long term objectives rather than the financial gains, incase of long term objectives, their nation gains more. Although donor countries may provide some incentives for receiving states in Africa that do business with national firms, the OECD( which China does not belong) discourages direct connection with private and semi entrepreneurs.
Second is the separation of political and the economic involvement which gives a lifeline to states that would totally collapse under the western pressure. Sudan and Zimbabwe is a case in point ( Chinese investments have continued to flow into both countries including a coal joint venture, a glass factory, smelting plants and beef production in Zimbabwe and oil extraction in Sudan.
The international community in general and especially the US considers china’s strategy on Africa as a challenge. America may see China as a competitor for resources and growing political influence in the region, whereas Beijing may be cautious on the interference with countries internal affairs.