Sustaining China-Africa relations: Slotting Africa into China's One Belt, One Road initiative makes economic sense

In: Asian journal of comparative politics: AJCP, Band 3, Heft 4, S. 285-310

Abstract

China's "One Belt One Road" (OBOR) Initiative forms the centerpiece of China's leadership's new foreign policy. The initiative aspires to put the nations of Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Africa on a new trajectory of higher growth and human development through infrastructural connectivity, augmented trade, and investment. The initiative offers tremendous opportunities for international economic cooperation, especially for African nations. This article examines China-Africa relations, centering on the possibility of expanding the OBOR initiative to cover more African nations. Africa has been the focus of China's foreign policy since 2013. A study on the implementation of OBOR in Africa will allow for a better understanding of contemporary China-Africa relations, while hopefully providing answers to some of the questions surrounding the issue. In this article, we carefully examine the economic drivers, challenges – with suggestions on ways to navigate those challenges – and opportunities of the OBOR initiative.