China in Africa & Asia
Geography: Edexcel A Level, topic 9.4.2
China and Africa - Economic Influence
There is increasing interdependence between emerging powers and the developing world as a result of economic ties and China's growing soft power.
Natural resources
- As China has developed economically, its demand for resources has significantly increased.
- It has been gaining these resources from the developing world (particularly Africa) and so its trade relations here have grown.
- In 2000, China-Africa trade was a mere $10 billion. By 2014, that had increased more than 20-fold to $220 billion.
- In particular, China is able to source oil, copper, cobalt and iron ore from Africa.
- It also has markets for Chinese manufacturers and construction companies.
Trade and investment
- China’s relationship with Africa has focused on trade and investment in infrastructure. This investment in infrastructure has been necessary to ensure that the transport links are viable for exporting raw materials.
- Between 2003-2017, Egypt was the largest receiver of Chinese investment. It received $24 billion dollars during this time.
- Other countries that have received large investment include Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa and Mozambique.
Environmental impact
- By moving some industries to Africa, China has begun to ‘offset’ some of its emissions.
- In other words, it looks as though the emissions are coming from African nations whereas it is for Chinese production and thus, arguably, China’s emissions.
- The industries that this is particularly relevant for is steel and cement, which cause air and water pollution.
Pollution havens
- The World Bank study looked at more than 3,000 overseas projects founded or operated by China and found that it often treats poor nations as ‘pollution havens”. China transfers its own environmental degradation to developing nations that are desperate for foreign investment.
- However, you could also argue Western nations have done this in the past.
Neo-colonialism?
- Many argue that this investment is a form of neo-colonialism like that peddled by the Bretton Woods institution. China is trying to gain influence in the region.
- Others highlight that Africa needs investment and this investment creates jobs for local people. They also get better public transport from the China-funded railways in Ethiopia and Kenya.
- Over 1 million Chinese people have moved to Africa since 2005. They help to cause a multiplier effect by spending money which adds to the local economy.
Tensions among Emerging Asian Powers - China
As China and India increase in global economic importance, this increases the geopolitical influence of the region. However, it also creates economic and political tensions.
Taiwan and Tibet
- There are growing geopolitical tensions over territorial claims with China and Taiwan and Tibet.
- China maintains a territorial claim to Taiwan as a Chinese province.
- The people in Tibet wish to be independent of China.
- However, the Chinese government has also encouraged migrants to move to Tibet which has raised tensions.
Japan
- There have always been tensions between China and Japan however currently they are major trading partners.
- One example of tension stems from the US troops stationed in Japan during the Chinese Civil War.
- Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria in 1931 and the massacre of up to 300,000 in Nanking in 1937 remains a painful historic event.
India
- There are also historic tensions between China and India- especially on their shared border.
- Both countries maintain a military presence on their border in the Himalayas.
- In early 2018, satellite imagery showed that both India and China continue to build up their ground forces in this area.
- However, the Himalayas are a good natural border. It is hard to move an army over the mountain range.
Test yourself on China in Africa & Asia
In 2014, how much was China-Africa trade worth?
What does the World Bank call the shifting of pollution to developing nations?
Which two regions in/near China are sources of geopolitical tensions?
Where did Japanese troops reportedly kill 50,000-300,000 Chinese citizens in the 1930s?
Why are tensions rising between Tibet and China?