4.3. China- DRC relations
4.4.4 China’s General Africa Policy
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Though education was not included, it became apparent that China intended to offer numerous scholarships to Africans. China offered that it would fund the erection of regional construction of universities and professional training centres in Africa.
However, both investment and trade collaboration received little consideration. To extend the discussion in this context, China also committed to the erection of a collaboration plan of action such as industrial parks. The Asian tiger also extended support to the supervision and training of Africans in the arenas of professional skills and management. Cultural collaboration was also committed by advancing the ideas of reconstructing African heritage by expanding entry to satellite televisions and providing scholarly funds (Monika, 2016: 165).
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principal goal of China’s Africa policy is to offer various developmental measures and objectives in various fields which would ultimately lead to secure growth of China- Africa relations in the long run. This also involves bringing about a brand-new dimension to the existing mutual-beneficial cooperation (Cemiloglu, 2015: 203).
Disguising to be formulating a policy that is friendly and collaborative with Africa, China has sought to focus on some of the important elements in its foreign policy implementation including mutual trust, cultural exchange, political equality, cooperation and the economic win-win approach. The combination of the principles and objectives of China’s Africa policy include:
The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” which consist of 1.
Mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity 2. Mutual non- aggression 3. Non-interference in each other’s internal affairs 4.
Equality and mutual benefit 5. Peaceful coexistence (Brautigam 2009:
30).
As such, having an unconventional choice of determining their pathway towards development and therefore supporting the African States in evolving unity, mutual benefit, common prosperity and reciprocity is very vital.
China endorses African countries in measures of nation-building, cooperation, and economic development in different fields and forms including social and economic development and also supports what we understand as mutual prosperity between the continent and the Asian giant. To China, close cooperation and mutual support are very important and it ensures this by strengthening its partnership with various Multinational institutions and promoting progressive and/or cooperative international relations in international affairs (Cemiloglu, 2015: 205). China does this by endorsing African countries’ demands and/or propositions that focus on development and peace in Africa. China also pushes for the promotion of the improvement of various inter- governmental consultations and close cooperation mechanisms. Seeking knowledge for common development is also one of the most important features of China’s foreign relations with Africa in various fields such as science, health and culture including development and governance. China assists and collaborates with African states in
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respect of the improvements towards capacitating the development of agricultural, energy resources, tourism, radio, film, television, the press and financial cooperation including various alternative fields that can assist in increasing sustainable development in the African continent (Cemiloglu, 2015).
One of the most important features of China’s African policy relations relates to Africa’s conformity and respect for the “One China Principle” including the continent’s regional organisations (Rotberg, 2008: 25). Simply put, African countries including others in the international system which want to do business with China, receive support and/or Chinese aid should be in a position to recognize and respect that: "The government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory” (Leger, 2017: online).
This is not mandatory as other countries can still establish state-state relations with China especially diplomatic relations only if China is ready for such, especially in contexts where such countries may be disregarding the One-China principle (Cemiloglu, 2015).
The development of various Special Economic Zones (SEZs) is also part and parcel of China’s Africa policy. These are special areas whereby both foreign and domestic companies can invest in and trade without having the same control and regulations from the Chinese central government back in Beijing. These are zones that are formulated to boost investment abroad for China and seek to increase and promote a win-win situation for China with African countries whilst promoting economic growth (Britannica, 2009). One might argue that the overall Chinese policy in Africa is to some extent, promoting and placing priority on economic nationalism where the national goals of China are shaping all of China’s policies, and priorities on economic development setting abroad. For example, with the disintegration of the Cultural Revolution and the replacement of the Chinese leadership, China then moved its focus and foreign policy priorities towards the development of the economy whereby the attention was refocused from “economy serving diplomacy” to now “diplomacy serving economy” (Rotberg, 2008: 22).
There are other scholars such as Cheng and Wankun (2002: 236) who argue that the foreign policy of China towards Africa includes an important strategic element of
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placing focus on geopolitical factors. This is because of the Asian giant’s desire to transmute into a significant global power that is strong and important. As such, its policy takes note of the overall strategic view on issues of international relations and foreign policy in general. Beijing seems to see Africa from a strategic viewpoint with a focus on strategically important regions for its development (Snow, 1995: 290-291).
Even though it is not always about the strategic significance in respect of economic sense, such considerations can be observed with Nigeria where it is mostly seen as being Africa’s largest oil producer but placed in a region that is strategically not important to China. We also have South Africa which is politically important to China and a vital ally in the developing world in respect to voting in different multilateral institutions.