21 April 2008

The Sunday Times reviews book edited by GPPi Fellow

GPPi Fellow Ricardo Soares de Oliveira’s edited book, entitled “China Returns to Africa: A Rising Power and a Continent Embrace,” received a welcoming review in the 20 April 2008 issue of The Sunday Times newspaper.

Edited by Chris Alden, Daniel Large and Ricardo Soares de Oliveira “China returns to Africa” traces China’s tried and failed penetration into the African continent some forty years ago and juxtaposes this with China’s relevant success in Africa today. The book notes that China’s current strategy in Africa is far more pragmatic than that during the Mao era, focusing on the quest for energy and raw materials. Backed by China’s new wealth and its official principle of “non-interference” in the governance of its partner countries, the book argues that China’s collaboration with African countries is likely to be more far reaching than ever before, thus prompting alarm bells in the West.

A number of topics are addressed in the successive chapters of the book. These include the social influence of the 750,000-strong Chinese diaspora on the continent; Chinese medicine; the history of the disastrous Tanzanian railway; and, most important, the progress of Beijing's drive to purchase the oil and mineral resources throughout the continent. Nonetheless, the book deals a fair hand reminding readers the west would be ill-placed to cry “Chinese imperialism” since many of the trade practices employed by Beijing today were commonly used by westerners during the 19th century.

Providing a balanced account, the editors compiled 24 essays by various international academics all of whom possess “exceptional knowledge of China’s operations in Africa”, according to The Sunday Times. The book goes on to question the current Chinese practice of “non-interference” in Africa and what this spells for the poorest of Africans, especially those in crisis ridden Sudan, Zimbabwe and Somalia where Chinese companies have vested interests yet display indifference. In his contribution to the book Christopher Clapham, the editor of the Journal of Modern African Studies, argues: “In the longer term, no external power with long-term interests in Africa can escape the issue of ‘goverence’, because this is the essential precondition for maintaining stable economic relationships.”

To read the full review on The Sunday Times, please click here.

For further information, please contact Ricardo Soares de Oliveira.

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