Chinese Aid and Investment in Africa: The Path to the Future

China is heavily encouraging investment in Africa’s developing state.These nations are working together to cause a business boom in Africa which has the potential to make Africa powerful enough to stand up on its own in global society. Recently, China has shown great interest in the African continent and its potential. Africa, where most countries are developing and in poor condition, has the required tools to better itself but just needs the right spark to start burning the fuse.

Africa has abundant and greatly sought after natural resources that are needed for today’s booming industries in technology, but because of poor infrastructure and management, it is not extracting these materials at full capacity. China is interested in these resources, and its strategy for the situation is to provide aid and investment in the creation of businesses in Africa, attempting to help Africa become a strong trading partner and create a mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries. Previously, China has waived past debts for poorer nations and promised to provide a total of $126 billion in aid, according to Reuters (Shepherd). These promises are not just empty promises either as, in the past, China and its businesses have loaned out and invested over $60 billion into African nations as decreed in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit of 2015 (Sow). According to Foreign Policy, Africa needs China’s help, as China is the only country who is willing to help Africa to the extent that visible change will be made (Pham). China is striving to show how both it and Africa can benefit from working together, and Africa is already receptive in accepting China’s generosity.

Despite the concerns of spectators, both parties benefit significantly in the dealings between China and Africa and this is not a one-way deal. Africa’s current state is very volatile and thus is risky in the eyes of potential investors, warding them away (AllAfrica). Africa needs China’s help to stabilize its condition so that it can become more lucrative for investors, who will provide the money for projects that create businesses and infrastructure. In turn, these investments will make Africa into the modern power it needs to be to truly capitalize off of its natural resources (Jayaram). On the other hand, China’s burgeoning technological industries require vast amounts of raw materials for mass production of electronics. This is a gap in China’s power that it can fill through a partnership with Africa. Thus, as both parties only serve to gain from this dealing, there is no reason for any malpractice taking advantage of each other (Maverick). While China’s track record prior to its endeavor in Africa does not paint it in the best light, the new world outlook of maximizing economic and utilitarian gain above all has higher precedent to China than the desire to errantly conquer and exploit the weak.

Most experts believe that all of these things strongly point to how China’s partnerships with African countries is mutually beneficial to all parties, opening the door to a future with Africa as a player in the international community Both sides have much to gain from cooperation and have the ability to build each other up to secure prosperity for years to come.

Works Cited
"Africa's Catch-22 [analysis]." allAfrica.com, 3 May 2016. Global Issues in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A451242839/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=da00954b. Accessed 14 Mar. 2019.

Maverick, J.B. “The 3 Reasons Why Chinese Invest in Africa.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 12 Mar. 2019, www.investopedia.com/articles/active-trading/081315/3-reasons-why-chinese-invest-africa.asp.

Pham, J. Peter, et al. “Chinese Aid and Investment Are Good for Africa.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 31 Aug. 2018, foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/31/chinese-aid-and-investment-are-good-for-africa/.

Shepherd, Christian. “China's Xi Offers Another $60 Billion to Africa, but Says No to...” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 3 Sept. 2018, www.reuters.com/article/us-china-africa/chinas-xi-offers-another-60-billion-to-africa-but-says-no-to-vanity-projects-idUSKCN1LJ0C4.

Sow, Mariama. “Figures of the Week: Chinese Investment in Africa.” Brookings, Brookings, 6 Sept. 2018, www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2018/09/06/figures-of-the-week-chinese-investment-in-africa/.

“The Closest Look Yet at Chinese Economic Engagement in Africa.” McKinsey & Company, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/middle-east-and-africa/the-closest-look-yet-at-chinese-economic-engagement-in-africa.