All China’s greedy maneuvers in Africa and Latin America
Trade, space, rhetoric and more: this is how China's strategy towards Africa and Latin America is structured
In October 2023, Florida International University's Jack D. Gordon Institute transformed into a melting pot of intellectual dialogue and discussion, with the arrival of distinguished scholars focused on African and Latin American dynamics. Their goal? Analyze and dissect the complex network of relationships and interactions that China has woven with the two regions. What emerged during this summit is a series of coherent strategies from Beijing, showing meticulous adaptation and a well-articulated engagement policy, the similarities and divergences of which deserve thorough investigation.
NOT JUST THE NEW SILK ROAD
The dominant narrative of Chinese engagement abroad is manifested through large-scale initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and other more recent initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). These efforts are not mere rhetoric, but action plans that are reflected in an active and strategic dialogue with international partners, who are encouraged to support such programs and recognize Beijing's sovereignty over Taipei.
CHINA'S AMBITIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER
China's ambitions are further clarified through targeted policy documents: white papers. These documents clearly outline China's intentions to intensify relations with Latin America and Africa, emphasizing Beijing's priorities and fields of strategic interest. The adjustment of Chinese policies reflects the principles of these white papers, outlining a coherence between words and deeds.
MULTILATERALISM
China's preferred multilateral platforms to promote its agenda are the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the China-CELAC Forum. These bodies find themselves in a particular position: they are sufficiently institutionalized to represent an official channel for dialogue, but not enough to allow the United States or the European Union to influence their dynamics. This is a tactic that allows China to advance its interests undisturbed.
TRADE AND CULTURE
In the trade context, the Asian giant has significantly increased its trade with the two regions, accumulating significant surpluses. Beijing's strategy appears clear: import raw materials and agricultural products with low added value, export goods and services with high technological content. In this exchange, China cleverly plays with the expectations of partner countries, promising economic advantages and access to its vast international market, which often leads to tacit self-censorship over the actions of the Chinese government and its companies.
In Latin America, the attractiveness of the Chinese market has prompted several governments to establish or negotiate free trade agreements with Beijing. Africa , for its part, while showing interest, still sees limited penetration of free trade agreements with China, with the exception of Mauritius.
In the fields of construction, energy, and technology, Chinese enterprises have shown increasing diversification and bold penetration, investing in public-private projects and taking on long-term roles. This engagement model is also reflected in the spread of 5G technology and the construction of digital infrastructure, sectors in which China holds a leading position.
On the academic and cultural scene, the expansion of the Confucius Institutes is a testament to China's desire to forge closer ties with younger generations through scholarships and exchange programs.
SPACE
In the space sector, China has launched five satellites for African countries and twelve for Latin America, underlining not only its technological capacity but also its desire to forge strategic alliances through cooperation in space. It has built ground control infrastructures in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ethiopia and trained space personnel in partner countries, while also establishing space radar facilities in Argentina and Namibia. These steps demonstrate China's multifaceted approach in the region, which extends from advanced technology to infrastructure involvement.
SECURITY AND WEAPONS
In terms of security cooperation, China's presence in Africa exceeds that in Latin America. The African continent has seen China actively participate in peacekeeping missions, security operations on land and at sea, and the establishment of a military base in Djibouti. By contrast, in Latin America, Chinese involvement has been more limited, with participation in peacekeeping operations in Haiti and periodic visits by hospital ships and military delegations.
The trade in military hardware, which includes fighter aircraft, radars and various vehicles, underlines the extent of China's defense influence in the two regions. China has used donations to military and police forces as leverage to strengthen relations and create opportunities for future arms sales.
Training security personnel in China is another important piece of this strategy, with China occasionally funding the operational expenses and salaries of African security forces. In Latin America, a similar case is represented by payments made by Chinese mining companies to Peruvian police for private security. Chinese private security companies, already active in Africa, are also starting to emerge in Latin America.
Ultimately, the FIU Africa Americas event highlighted the need to study patterns of Chinese engagement across regions to better understand Beijing's decision-making process. It invites reflection on the evolution of China's global engagement and how regions can learn from each other best practices to manage risks and maximize benefits in engaging with the Asian power.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/cina-africa-america-latina/ on Sun, 05 Nov 2023 06:51:19 +0000.