1st Edition
China's Diplomacy in Eastern and Southern Africa
In contemporary discourse on China-Africa relations, there are, on the one hand, the Sino-pessimists who see China as a giant vacuum-cleaner, sucking up Africa’s resources in order to fuel its own rapid industrialization, and destroying Africa’s development potential in the process. On the other hand, the Sino-optimists see China as the ultimate savior of Africa, capable of or willing to 'develop' the continent. Between the two divergent schools of thought are those sitting on the fence for the time being, the Sino-pragmatists, who are less sanguine for sure about what Africa would gain from China-Africa relations, but are nevertheless willing to reserve judgment until the dust settles. This book is innovative in two ways: it introduces a regional approach to the study of China-Africa relations by focusing on Eastern and Southern Africa; and it puts forward a disciplinary framework- disciplinary in both senses of that term- for interrogating the burgeoning literature about China-Africa relations by conceptualizing the three schools of thought mentioned above.
Biography
Edited by Adem, Seifudein
’With a regional focus on Eastern Africa (plus Madagascar), this book provides deeper analysis; attention to history; a focus on the role of Africa’s leaders and domestic politics; and a keen sense of China’s shifting strategies over time and across different countries. A must-read for anyone hoping to understand the complexities and nuances of China-Africa relations.’ Yoon Jung Park, Howard University, USA and Rhodes University, South Africa ’Either through bilateral or multilateral relations, China's Africa diplomacy reflects the complexity and intrigue of power dynamics. Based on a regional perspective, this book examines specific China-Africa relations, provides an enriched critical and testable knowledge, and projects the shifting balance within the global power structure. This is an impressive collection which will take the readers beyond fixed challenges and the rhetoric associated with China-Africa relations.’ Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo, Wells College, Cornell University and Suffolk University, USA 'Adem’s volume greatly contributes to the existent literature and is recommended to everyone interested in the PRC’s overall engagement with Africa and particular national governments likewise. ... The various methodologies used in these articles shed light on the subject matter from several angles and underlines its complexity. China’s Diplomacy in Eastern and Southern Africa does not only deliver in-depth analyses on China-Africa relations but also invites scholars to review the discourse on how we perceive new developments initiated by the encounters of Chinese and Africans.' East Asia Integration Review
