“A Win-Win Conditionality of Foreign Policy”: A Re-Appraisal of Sino-African Economic Relations Since the Dawn of The 21st Century

Abstract

This study examines “A Win-Win Conditionality of Foreign Policy”: A Re-appraisal of Sino-African Economic Relations Since the Dawn of the 21st Century. The Sino-Africa economic relations have risen much attraction and grown in strength following the emergence of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) in 2000. The Win-Win situation became famous in the relationships between China and Africa, with a high level of politico-economic and socio-cultural engagements. The main arguments are either that China is a new imperialist in Africa as advanced by many scholars in the West or that she is a champion of development conscious of promoting mutual benefit for both parties as indicated by some members of African scholars and leaders. Using secondary data analyzed by historical method and with the conceptual explanation and understanding of conditionality of foreign policy, Sino-Africa relations and win-win situation as well as dependency and realist theoretical assumptions, this paper interrogates the Sino-African economic relations based on a Win-Win situation. The paper argues that Sino-African economic relations, operating under obvious disparity and skewed cooperation against Africa cannot be considered as a Win-Win situation. The paper finds that Sino-Africa economic relation is thrilled by what both parties focus to again differently from one another and for their national interest. The study however concludes that Sino-African economic relations diversified Africa’s economy to China with similar patterns and characteristics of the Western capitalist, thus, for the benefit of China.