Exploring the Geopolitics of Sino-Angolan Cooperation

Author(s)
Christopher, Nzefe
Advisor
Iain Watson
Department
국제대학원 국제개발협력학과
Publisher
Graduate School of International Studies Ajou University
Publication Year
2015-08
Language
eng
Keyword
Geopolitics
Alternative Abstract
Abstract For over a decade now, China and Angola have been engaged in an intense development cooperation that has caught the attention of development actors and pundits the world over. Prior to China’s renewed interest and engagement with Angola, Western donors and international financial institutions had not been able to provide the funding Angola badly needed to launch the reconstruction of her devastated economy and infrastructure because they expected the Angolan government to make some political and social reforms first before they could intervene. China’s development approach in Angola challenges this standard and goes beyond political conditionalities to propose a more effective development cooperation based on mutual benefits. This cooperation is characterized by business; trade and investment in which Angola trades her oil in exchange for infrastructure with China. This trade and investment formula in which resources are traded for infrastructure is known as oil-backed loans or infrastructure for oil loans. This is what makes the relationship between both countries pragmatic. This study has examined the geopolitical motivations behind China’s engagement with Angola. These motivations are economic and political. Economically, China’s motives are dominated by their thirst for energy resources especially oil. Politically, China seeks to isolate Taiwan and gain more stature in international politics. The main research question of this study is: What are the geopolitical considerations at the back China’s partnership with Angola at the dawn of the 21st Century? To answer this question, economic variables of China’s energy situation, her foreign trade with Angola and her foreign direct investment were examined. This research is largely qualitative even though some quantitative secondary data was used to show China’s geopolitical motivations towards Angola. The secondary research question was mainly answered by making some suggestions for Angola to diversify from her dependence on oil as the sole export commodity. Apart from dependence on oil some other problem areas were identified, notably governance and the absence of knowledge transfer strategies. It was also found that China’s new development approach has its own weaknesses despite the concrete results it has achieved in the area of infrastructure construction. The ultimate resolution is that inasmuch as Western aid and Chinese development assistance seek to solve development problems in Angola, and so long as neither the West nor China can replicate each other’s development model, Angola should rather adopt a more holistic approach by sorting out the constructive aspects of each of these development models to foster their own development agenda.
URI
https://dspace.ajou.ac.kr/handle/2018.oak/13174
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Special Graduate Schools > Graduate School of International Studies > Department of International Development Cooperation > 3. Theses(Master)
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