Competition on the African continent

Robert Walker

Chapter 10 in Is China Right?, 2026, pp 131-146 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: An arena of geopolitical competition during the Cold War, Africa has become so again with Western concerns about the rise of China. The legacy of Africa's exploited past is found in trading patterns with former European colonial powers that still find African governments forced into asymmetrical trading agreements and relationships. The continent remains dependent on low-value-added exports and high-value-added imports and has a disproportionate number of companies under foreign ownership. It has also been vulnerable to donors imposing Western concepts of development that demand the acceptance of Western values and ways of doing things. As in the Cold War era, African countries now have increased agency with China as a source of investment that appears more responsive to Africa's need for infrastructure development. African welfare has consistently lagged behind other regions, but average incomes have risen and poverty fallen coincident with its increased engagement with China.

Keywords: Africa; Belt and Road Initiative; Official Development Assistance; ODA; Investment; Trade; Competition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035329229
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