China in Africa Partner, Competitor or Hegemon?

Nowhere in the world is China?s rapid rise to power more evident than in Africa. From multi-billion dollar investments in oil and minerals to the influx of thousands of merchants, labourers and cheap consumer goods, China?s economic and political reach is redefining Africa?s traditional ties with the international community. This book investigates the emerging relationship between China and Africa to determine whether this engagement will be that of a development partner, economic competitor or new hegemon. Alden argues that in order to understand Chinese involvement on the continent, we need to recognize the range of economic, diplomatic and security rationales behind Beijing?s Africa policy as well as the response of African elites to China?s entreaties. Only then can the new challenges and opportunities for Africa and the West be accurately assessed.
Contents

1. China in Africa: Development Partner, Economic Competitor or Emergent Hegemon?
2. China's New Foreign Policy Towards Africa
3. Chinese Business in Africa
4. Africa Responds: Between Pariah Partnerships and Trading Relations
5. The Chinese Challenge: African Hopes and Western Interests
6. Conclusion
About the Author

Chris Alden is a Senior Lecturer in the Deparment of International Relations at the LSE. He has researched and published on Asian-African relations for over fifteen years. He has previously taught at the University of Witwatersand, the University of Tokyo, the Ecole Normale Superieure and the University of Cambridge.