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China Runs Into Trouble In Africa

April 10, 2009

Africa and China Martin McCauley writes: As China expands its presence in Africa it gets entangled in some of the local conflicts over there. Attacks on Chinese citizens and property have been on the rise, including the growing number of kidnappings of Chinese workers. In a sense China is facing similar problems to those that have been encountered by Western states for years.

The greatest loss of Chinese life occurred in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia in 2007. Nine Chinese workers, exploring gas fields, were killed and others were seized. China immediately abandoned the project.

Chinese oil facilities in the Darfur region have been attacked on numerous occasions. In October 2008 nine Chinese were kidnapped and four were subsequently killed. Rebel groups have warned the Chinese to stay out of the Niger Delta. Several Chinese have been kidnapped but later released.

For many African states China offers an alternative to dealing with the West. Sudan and Zimbabwe, regarded as beyond the pale, receive much of their military equipment from Beijing. Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Niger look for investment without the strings attached by Western countries. Human rights is a sensitive subject in this respect: China often finds itself pilloried by the West as do many African states. It is natural that Beijing should defend African countries and African states should vote with China in the UN Human Rights Council.

China began sending its troops to join UN peacekeeping missions in the 1990s. Then in 2001, 200 troops were transported to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other large contingents followed. In 2007, a general became the first Chinese to command a UN mission – in Western Sahara. Now there are about 1,800 Chinese troops and personnel in seven UN peacekeeping missions on the continent. The largest units are in Liberia, Southern Sudan, Darfur and the DRC. China now has more peacekeepers in Africa than any other permanent member of the UN Security Council.

There are three main reasons why China is willing to participate in African UN missions. It creates a positive image of the country. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) wishes to expand its involvement in disaster relief, anti-piracy and other missions. It provides the PLA with practical experience of resolving issues such as riot control, ethnic disputes and bringing armed conflict to an end. These lessons can then be applied in China.
In 2008 about 20 per cent of the 1,300 Chinese ships which passed through the Gulf of Aden were attacked. China deploys its most advanced warships to combat piracy. This provides it with valuable experience far from its own territorial waters. Washington has praised Beijing for the work of its navy which is ‘highly professional’ and well coordinated with the navies of the United States and other countries.

China donates equipment to defuse mines in Angola, Mozambique, Chad, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau and Sudan. It also trains local personnel to deal with the mines.
China began supplying arms to Africa in the 1950s and supported many national liberation movements. Between 2000 and 2003 Beijing provided 13 per cent of all arms to sub-Saharan African. This rose to 18 per cent between 2004 and 2007. In the latter period only Germany, with 24 per cent, supplied more.

Since 2000 China has sold small arms and light weapons to 27 of the 53 countries in Africa. Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Ivory Coast have received most of these weapons. A particular favourite is the AK-47 assault rifle which is now almost ubiquitous in African conflict areas. Arms are sold to governments but find their way to rebel groups.

Most controversial has been deliveries to Sudan. Almost all weapons used in the Darfur conflict originate in China. Sudanese pilots, trained in China, conduct operations in Darfur.

China is welcomed in Africa when it participates in peacekeeping missions. It is popular in many states because it is willing to sell arms when Western states are not. This inevitably fuels conflict.

Chinese companies are willing to take greater risks than Western firms to pursue business in Africa. As a result they are finding that the cost of doing so is rising.

The world economic downturn is opening up new opportunities. China has the cash and is eager to invest.
It appears that it is willing to take great risks to expand its presence and influence in the continent.

– End –

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