Hearts, Minds, and Wallets: Lessons from China’s Growing Relationship with Africa
Titel:
Hearts, Minds, and Wallets: Lessons from China’s Growing Relationship with Africa
Auteur:
David Alexander Robinson
Verschenen in:
Journal of alternative perspectives in the social sciences
Paginering:
Jaargang 1 (2009) nr. 3 pagina's 861-869
Jaar:
2009
Inhoud:
Slavery; colonialism; Apartheid; Cold Warmanipulation; IMF Structural Adjustment; corruption ofgovernments by western corporations; and resource warsfought by white mercenaries: if independent African nationsof the 21st Century choose to seek new relationships withnon-Western allies, then we should not be puzzled by thisdevelopment. Nevertheless, Western commentators watchwith increasing concern as China’s growing political andeconomic influence makes it an attractive partner for Africangovernments. President Obama’s recent trip to China, in thecontext of global economic turmoil and negotiationssurrounding the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference,highlights China’s ascending international importance.Former presidential special assistant Kenneth Lieberthalnotes that, “For the first time in the history of ourrelationship [with China], global issues are at the top of theagenda” (Johnson, 2009); while lobbyists for Americanbusiness urge Obama to coordinate an internationalprogramme for economic restructuring and green reform(Barbalas, 2009). In comparison, the relationshipscrystallising between China and various African statesfrequently go unnoticed by the media; while analystsexamining these developments often overreact with warningsof existential threat to Western interests. In examiningChina’s growing influence in Africa,
Tijdschrift beschrijving